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Auction: 23006 - The Official COINEX Auction at Spink
Lot: 444

(g) The Dr Frank Becker Collection | NGC UNC | South Africa, Z.A.R., Thomas Francois Burgers (1872-1877), 'Transvaal Sovereign' or so-called Burgers Pond, 1874, Type I, 'Fine Beard Variety', by Leonard C Wyon for Heaton (Birmingham) Mint, dispatched August 1874, THOMAS FRANCOIS BURGERS, bare head left, with fine trailing beard, rev. eagle atop coat-of arms, single-shaft wagon below, edge milled, 7.98g, 6h (Matthy Esterhuysen, "South Africa's First Gold Coin: Research on the Burgers Dies and Burgerspond 1874"; Hern B1; Fb. 1; KM 1.2), minor adjustment marks to cheek and perhaps lightly wiped, otherwise handsomely lustrous, almost extremely fine, very rare, the iconic 'First Coin of South Africa', with only 695 reportedly struck of this variety before the Volksraad curtailed Burgers unsanctioned 'personal' coinage and first to be offered through these rooms since 2012, in NGC holder, graded UNC Details ~ Cleaned (Cert. #6767902-005)

Provenance

The Dr Frank Becker Collection of World Coins

DNW 79, 24 September 2008, lot 4330 - £6,200



An example graded NGC MS64 sold in New York (Heritage 3008, 3 January 2010, lot 22915), exhibits similar adjustment marks on cheek.



After visiting the gold-fields in late 1873, Burgers was inspired to produce his own indigenous gold coins from the first metal extracted there. On the 9 February 1874, Burgers wrote to J J Pratt, the Republic's Consul General in London, and sent him a portrait of himself and a sketch of the ZAR's coat of arms. His letter stated that the Government had resolved to have coins struck and included 300oz of native gold to be used for that purpose. (The Volksraad were unaware of his plans). Interestingly the gold used to strike the Burgers Pond was mined, like its famously rare partner the Veld Pond, at Pilgrim's Rest.



L C Wyon from the Royal Mint cut the dies from the portrait and the sketch. The coins were struck by Ralph Heaton and Sons of Birmingham. The first shipment of 695 Burgersponde was dispatched to the Republic in early August 1874 - these are known as the fine beard variety.



At a meeting of the Volksraad on 21 September 1874, President Burgers presented to the Chairman of the Assembly 50 of his gold coins (the first strike - fine beard variety) to the members of the Council. He was expecting strong recognition and admiration for producing the Republic's first indigenous coinage. Instead there was massive indignation. The members of the Volksraad were appalled and indignant that the President had seen fit to use the Republic’s money to produce a coin with his very own face on it. They remonstrated with him saying that it was a most egotistical and self-centred thing to do.



The September meeting was one that Burgers would remember for a very long time. This quickly degenerated into massive debate, argumentation and erupted into general pandemonium. “He has produced these coins out of mere vanity and for his ego” exclaimed many of the members. “No, he has introduced our very own coinage” replied others.



To make matters worse the die broke - and a smaller second batch, the rarer coarse beard variety (seen below), numbering just 142 pieces was minted - Pratt keeping four of these coins for himself before they were shipped in October 1874. The President's beard appears much thicker and coarser in this second batch. Esterhuysen's has identified at least ten dies that were used to mint the two sets of coins.



Contemporary newspaper accounts challenge this accepted narrative, as the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette (7 November 1874), stated: Oct. 10, The Cape papers received by the Walmer Castle report the opening on the 21st September of the Volksraad...At a later stage of the proceedings, "President Burgers handed to the Chairman of the Assembly 50 pieces of gold as a sample of money which he, with the consent of his executive, had coined in London from Transvaal gold. He said it was the first coined money ever struck for South Africa, and that it was one of the steps for forming a nation and added his effigy appeared on the coin against his wish."



The Cape Argus, would be rather more favourable about the enterprise, writing in November 1874: "TRANSVAAL SOVEREIGNS - "We have had the pleasure of seeing some of the new 'staatsponden' or Transvaal Sovereigns, several of which have been received in town. They were coined in England, but the gold is the product of the Transvaal. In weight, size and value they are exactly similar to the English sovereign, and a certificate to this effect from the British Mint is expected by the next steamer. On one side is the well-executed profile of President Burgers, and on the reverse the arms of the Republic, with the inscription 'Eendragt maakt maght'. This coin will find its way into the Free States and the British Colonies."

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Sold for
£9,000

Starting price
£5000