Item number: A1685

Year: AD 1958

Material: Silver (.500)

Size: 38.7 x 38.7 x 2.9 mm

Weight: 28.35g

Manufactured by: South Africa Mint, Pretoria

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a five-shilling silver coin minted in AD 1958 by the South African Mint in Pretoria and issued by the Union of South Africa.

The obverse features a right-facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a laurel wreath. Encircling the effigy is the Latin inscription “ELIZABETH II REGINA,” meaning “Queen Elizabeth II.” Below the portrait, the initials “M.G.” are inscribed, signifying the signature of sculptor Mary Gaskell Gillick. Gillick gained prominence in AD 1952 when her portrait design was selected for general circulation coinage, distinguished by its depiction of the Queen before her coronation. From AD 1953 to 1970, her design was widely employed across the United Kingdom and various territories of the British Empire.

The reverse of the coin depicts a springbok in mid-gallop across the plains. Surrounding the image are the inscriptions “SUID-AFRIKA · 1958 · SOUTH AFRICA” in Afrikaans and English, both conveying the same meaning. Below the springbok, the initials “CLS” denote the signature of sculptor Coert Laurens Steynberg. Steynberg was renowned for his monumental portrait sculptures, yet his depiction of the springbok on coinage became widely admired. From AD 1947 through the 1980s, his design was repeatedly used on South African coinage. Below the motif, “5ṣ” denotes the coin’s face value of five shillings.

The Union of South Africa was established in AD 1910 through the unification of the Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal Colony under British rule, forming a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. The Union implemented policies of racial segregation, with political and economic power predominantly controlled by the white minority, while Black Africans, Coloureds, and Indians faced systemic discrimination and severe restrictions. In AD 1924, the National Party came to power and advanced more explicit segregation policies, reinforcing white supremacy in South Africa. During the Second World War, South Africa participated as a British ally, but in the post-war period, internal racial tensions intensified. The National Party secured victory in the 1948 elections and formally instituted the apartheid system, systematically depriving non-white populations of their civil rights, enforcing residential segregation, and restricting their political and economic participation. In AD 1958, Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd initiated efforts for South Africa to withdraw from the Commonwealth, leading to a referendum in AD 1960 in which white voters narrowly endorsed the establishment of a republic. However, widespread international condemnation of South Africa’s apartheid policies resulted in its formal withdrawal from the Commonwealth in AD 1961 and the proclamation of the Republic of South Africa. Following this transition, international sanctions against South Africa escalated, leading to mounting economic and political pressures. By the 1980s, domestic resistance and global opposition forced the government to undertake reforms. In AD 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, initiating negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk that ultimately led to the dismantling of the apartheid system. In AD 1994, South Africa held its first multiracial democratic elections, with Mandela elected as president, ushering the Republic of South Africa into a new era.

物件編號: A1685

年代: 公元 1958 年

材質: 銀 (500‰)

尺寸: 38.7 x 38.7 x 2.9 mm

重量: 28.35g

製造地: 普勒托利亞南非鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚於公元1958年，由普勒托利亞南非鑄幣廠鑄造，南非聯邦發行的5先令銀幣。

銀幣的正面是英女王伊莉莎白二世的右側半身像，頭戴桂冠​。周圍環繞拉丁文「ELIZABETH II REGINA」，即「伊莉莎白二世女王」。半身像下緣有小字「M.G.」，為雕塑家瑪麗·加斯克爾·吉利克(Mary Gaskell Gillick)的署名。吉利克以公元1952年，人像設計被選為通用流通硬幣而聞名，她的設計特點在於描繪了加冕前的女王。公元1953至1970年，她的設計於英國以及帝國其他地區被廣泛應用。

銀幣的背面為於草原上朝右奔跑的跳羚。周圍環繞阿非利卡語和英語「SUID-AFRIKA · 1958 · SOUTH AFRICA」，均為同樣的意思。跳羚右下方「CLS」，為雕塑家庫特·勞倫斯·斯泰恩貝格(Coert Laurens Steynberg)的署名。斯泰恩貝格以創作巨大人像雕塑而聞名，但他於硬幣上設計的跳羚圖案也廣受喜愛。公元1947年起到1980年代，他的設計於南非硬幣上被一再的使用。圖樣下方「5ṣ」，即面額5先令。

南非聯邦(Union of South Africa)成立於公元1910年，由英國將好望角殖民地、納塔爾殖民地、奧蘭治河殖民地和德蘭士瓦殖民地合併而成，成為大英帝國內部的自治領。南非聯邦實行種族隔離政策，主要由白人統治，黑人、混血人種和印度人受到嚴格的政治與經濟限制。公元1924年南非國民黨(National Party)執政後，推動更明確的種族隔離措施，並加強南非白人至上主義，二戰期間，南非作為英國盟友參戰，但戰後國內種族衝突加劇，國民黨在1948年選舉勝出後正式推行種族隔離(Apartheid)制度，系統性地剝奪非白人公民權利，劃定黑人居住區，限制其政治權利與經濟活動。公元1958年，總理亨德里克·費爾沃德(Hendrik Verwoerd)推動南非脫離英聯邦，並於公元1960年舉行公投，雖然白人選民以微弱多數支持共和制，但英聯邦內部對南非種族隔離政策強烈不滿，導致南非於公元1961年正式脫離英聯邦，成立南非共和國(Republic of South Africa)。南非共和國成立後，國際社會對其種族隔離政策加強制裁，導致經濟與政治壓力不斷上升。公元1980年代，國內外的抵制運動與經濟困境迫使南非政府開始改革，公元1990年納爾遜·曼德拉(Nelson Mandela)獲釋，並與當時的總統F.W. 德克勒克(F.W. de Klerk)展開談判，最終導致公元1994年種族隔離制度正式結束，舉行南非首場不分種族的民主選舉，曼德拉當選總統，南非共和國進入新時代。