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1 Pond Burgers Pond, Transvaal Pattern
| Issuer | South African Republic (South Africa (pre-Union)) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1874 |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | Left-facing bearded effigy of President Thomas François Burgers, rendered in high relief with finely detailed wavy hair and a long, flowing beard — characteristic of the so-called 'coarse beard' variety. The circular legend 'THOMAS FRANÇOIS BURGERS' arcs around the periphery, with the date '1874' inscribed in the exergue below the truncation. The portrait is boldly modelled in a naturalistic style, occupying the majority of the field, with a plain, unadorned background. |
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| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The Burgers Pond patterns of 1874 represent a politically explosive episode in South African numismatic history. President Thomas François Burgers commissioned the issue to establish the Transvaal Republic's monetary credibility, contracting the work to Messrs. Heaton's Mint in Birmingham. The "fine beard" and "coarse beard" varieties that emerged from this striking caused an immediate scandal — conservative Boer citizens, many deeply religious, objected to having any presidential portrait on coinage at all, let alone one they considered vain.
Gold-plated bronze examples like this were struck as patterns or presentation pieces. The actual gold circulation issue was largely rejected and few entered commerce.