Coat of arms and country name in Afrikaans and English.

The coat of arms was granted by King George V by Royal Warrant on 17 September 1910, few months after the formation of the Union of South Africa.

It was a combination of symbols representing the four provinces (formerly colonies) that made up the Union:
• The first quarter is the figure of Hope, representing the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope.
• The two wildebeests of the second quarter represent the Colony of Natal.
• The orange tree in the third quarter was used as the symbol of the Orange Free State Republic.
• The wagon in the fourth quarter represented the Transvaal.
• The supporters are taken from the arms of the Orange River Colony and the Cape Colony.
• The lion holds four rods, bound together, symbolizing the unification of the four former colonies.

The motto, Ex Unitate Vires was officially translated as "Union is Strength" until 1961, and thereafter as "Unity is Strength".

Obverse engraver initials varieties exist:
• 1970-1983: T.S. below base of the coat of arms right-hand side (Tommy Sasseen)
• 1984: no engraver initials (Arthur Sutherland)
• 1985-1989: A.L.S. below base of the coat of arms left-hand side (Arthur Sutherland)

Depicted the King protea plant within sprigs with the denomination on the left.

The South African National Flower, the King Protea was one of the first distinctive South African symbols that appeared on the tickey and sixpence coins from 1925 to 1960. With the introduction of South Africa’s first decimal series (1961–1964) the Protea was again depicted on the 2½c and 5c coins.

With the second decimal coin series (1965–1989), a South African horticultural artist, Cynthna Letty was responsible for the artwork. Die-sinker Tommy Sasseen modelled the design from the original watercolour painting which can be viewed at the South African Mint museum.