The South African Reserve Bank has launched the commemorative Griqua Town R5 coin into circulation.
The currency was created in the name of a local community: Griqua Town, but had far-reaching significance as the first South African currency, the country’s first decimal coinage and the world’s first Christian Missionary coinage.
The new R5 coin has an image of the 1815 Griqua Town coin with the words “Coinage of Griqua Town 200” and the date “1815 – 2015” on the reverse side.
The obverse depicts the South African Coat of Arms, with the words SARB on each side.
The Griqua Town R5 coin is the fourth commemorative R5 issued by the SARB, since the first bi-metal R5 was introduced in 2004.
Griqua coin back
Other notable anniversaries to be celebrated on the R5 coin were Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday in 2008, the 90th anniversary of the SARB in 2011 and 20 years of democracy in 2014.
This coin is a normal circulation coin and will form part of the R5 coins that are already in circulation throughout the country.
The circulation coin is worth its face value of R5 and the public is encouraged to recirculate the coin when they receive it.
