South African Union five shillings
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Union period
Issuing entity
Union of South AfricaThe South African Union five shillings is a crown-sized silver denomination issued under the Union of South Africa from 1947 until the adoption of decimal currency in 1961. Produced at the South African Mint in Pretoria, it represented the highest silver denomination of the South African pound system, which adhered to British imperial denominations and weights.
The obverse of the coinage depicts the reigning monarch accompanied by royal titles in Latin, while the reverse features the denomination and the country's name inscribed in both English and Afrikaans. In addition to standard circulation strikes, occasional commemorative variants of the five-shilling piece were released during its period of manufacture.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Following the creation of the Union of South Africa, domestic coin production commenced in 1923 at the Royal Mint's Pretoria branch, which was taken over by the South African government in 1941 and renamed the South African Mint. While smaller silver denominations had been struck since 1923, the five-shilling coin was not introduced until 1947. During the denomination's period of issue, South African silver coinage transitioned to.500 fineness in 1951. Production of the five-shilling piece ended when the Union decimalised on 14 February 1961, replacing the pound system with the rand.
Identification
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Dated between 1947 and the 1961 decimalisation transition. Bears the effigy of the British monarch on the obverse with Latin titles. Features the denomination and the name of South Africa rendered bilingually in English and Afrikaans on the reverse. Distinguished from earlier republican crowns by its Union-era royal obverse rather than Paul Kruger's portrait.
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Research required
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Design type list by reign and weight/fineness need transcription from a verified catalogue