A couple of months ago I embarked on a research project to highlight the record sale of a rare South African coin (sold at a value of R210 000) in a press release.
Well what an interesting little community the investors and collectors of these coins and notes belong to.

Firstly, investments and I are like oil and water, we just don’t mix, and thus I am by no means boasting any expertise in this field.
I know that provided you have the means to invest, it’s something we all should do and it’s a wonderfully easy way to make money (and lose it).
But when it comes to my personal investments,
– (my financial consultant would hang her head in shame if she heard me say this) these are the sum total of a monthly debit order that an investment house pulls out of my bank account and every year on my birthday I receive a card wishing me for my special day and that’s as far as my involvement in my investment portfolio goes.
(probably not such a good thing, but its working for me right now)

Its seems as though after having researched rare coin and note investments, I have opened a Pandora’s box of information, interesting stories and tales as well as sparked a personal interest in this interesting hobby.

Yet again a record sale has been flagged on bidorbuy involving a rare South African coin.
The concluded sale of a R5 MANDELA (year 2000) PF69 ULTRA CAMEO was sold this morning on bidorbuy for R 200,000 (gulp) yes, R 200 000.

Click here to see the trade on bidorbuy

While the coin that sold on the site this morning may look like and ordinary R5 coin, it’s actually quite a rare one.
The seller says its 1 of 2 PF69 Ultra cameo Mandela R5 coins to be capsulated by the NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) who are the top international coin graders in the world, and continues to describe the coin as being more elusive that the Loch Ness Monster…Like I said, its pretty rare.

After seeing the trade I pulled out a R5 coin from my purse and quietly looked at it with dismay. There is not a single day of the year that goes by that we don’t touch at least one coin a day. Whether it be to tip a car guard, a petrol attendant or to give to our kids for tuck money.
Isn’t it strange to think that like with so many things in life we take for granted, the physical money we use everyday can one day be worth thousands of rands and highly sought after collectors items.

The fact remains that South Africa has a wealth of investments desperately waiting to be “Paid” the attention they deserve.
Like our history, rare South African coins represent a part of us that we should all be proud of. Aside from the turmoil uncertainty and prejudice so many of us have survived, so these coins have persevered and continued to gain value, momentum and stature that will eventually amount to be priceless.

Nothing in life is less valuable that the value you assign to it.

If you’d like to see the press release mentioned above please click here