Coat of arms and country name in English and Afrikaans.

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)

Depicts standing Blue Crane with large denomination at right. Engraver's initials below.

The Blue Crane (Anthropoides Paradisea) is the national bird of South Africa and is found throughout the large Savannah areas of South Africa, usually near water. Each bird is about 105 cm tall with both sexes identical. Identification is easy because of the large head with dark brown irises and a pinkish bill. Nesting pairs seem to mate for life and use the same nesting sites. The Blue Crane population is thriving.

As the Blue Crane is more-or-less confined to South Africa, it has been used only on South African coins.

Engraver: Tommy Sasseen