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1/2 Cent SOUTH AFRICA - SUID-AFRIKA
| Issuer | South African Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1970-1983 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Cent |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | SOUTH AFRICA SUID-AFRIKA EX UNITATE VIRES T.S. 1973 |
| Reverse description | Two Cape sparrows (Passer melanurus) are depicted perched on thorny branches in naturalistic style, one facing left in the upper left field and the other facing left in the lower right field, with the large fractional numeral 1/2 prominently displayed in the upper right portion of the field. The engraver's initials T.S. appear below the branches near the lower rim. The composition is rendered in fine relief with careful attention to feather and branch detail. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
South Africa's half cent was introduced alongside decimalization in 1961, when the rand replaced the pound at two rand to the pound. By 1970, the coin had become largely redundant in daily commerce — the denomination was too small to be useful and too costly to strike relative to its face value. The series was quietly discontinued after 1983, with some years seeing mintage almost entirely absorbed by collector sets rather than circulation.