The 1952 South African pound was the last issued under George VI, who died in February of that year; coins dated 1952 struck before his death are indistinguishable from those struck after. South Africa had maintained the pound alongside Britain through the entire sterling zone framework, but the writing was already on the wall — the Republic referendum was less than a decade away, and with it the end of both the monarchy and the pound denomination entirely.
Mintages for this final-year issue were modest, as the Pretoria mint wound down pound production with no successor denomination planned in gold.
The 1952 South African pound was the last issued under George VI, who died in February of that year; coins dated 1952 struck before his death are indistinguishable from those struck after. South Africa had maintained the pound alongside Britain through the entire sterling zone framework, but the writing was already on the wall — the Republic referendum was less than a decade away, and with it the end of both the monarchy and the pound denomination entirely.
Mintages for this final-year issue were modest, as the Pretoria mint wound down pound production with no successor denomination planned in gold.