Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions
  • 1/4 Penny 1937-1947, KM# 23, South Africa, George VI
  • 1/4 Penny 1937-1947, KM# 23, South Africa, George VI
Description

The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of four previously separate British colonies: the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and Orange River colonies. It included the territories formerly part of the Boer republics annexed in 1902, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State.

The Union of South Africa was a self-governing autonomous dominion of the British Empire. It was governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, with the Crown represented by a governor-general. The Union came to an end with the enactment of a new constitution on 31 May 1961, by which it became a republic and temporarily left the Commonwealth, under the new name Republic of South Africa.

Metal content
1937-1941: Copper 0.955, Tin 0.030, Zinc 0.015
1942-1947: Copper 0.950, Tin 0.005, Zinc 0.045

Obverse

Bare head of the King George VI facing left, surrounded by the abbreviated translation of “George VI King and Emperor”.

George VI (1895–1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth.

As the second son of King George V, he was not expected to inherit the throne and spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward. George's elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII upon the death of their father in 1936. However, later that year Edward revealed his desire to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin advised Edward that for political and religious reasons he could not marry a divorced woman and remain king. Edward abdicated in order to marry, and George ascended the throne as the third monarch of the House of Windsor.

Engraver: Thomas Humphrey Paget

GEORGIVS VI REX IMPERATOR
HP

Reverse

Depicts a pair of Cape Sparrows perched on acacia branch within circle, date above and denomination below, legend in English and Afrikaans.

The Cape sparrow or mossie (Passer melanurus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae found in southern Africa. A medium-sized sparrow at 14–16 centimetres (5.5–6.3 in), it has distinctive plumage including large pale head stripes. Both sexes are mostly coloured grey, brown, and chestnut, and the male has some black and white markings on its head and neck. It inhabits semi-arid savannah, cultivated areas, and towns, and ranges from the central coast of Angola to eastern South Africa and Swaziland.

The symbol 'D' for pence derives from the Latin denarius used in the Middle Ages.

Engraver: George Edward Kruger Gray

SOUTH·AFRICA·1937·SUID·AFRICA
KG
1/4D.

Edge

1/4 Penny

British Dominion
KM# 23 Hern# S17-28
Characteristics
Material Bronze
Weight 2.83 g
Diameter 20.2 mm
Thickness 1.37 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Alt # Hern# S17, Hern# S25, Hern# S28, Hern# S27, Hern# S26, Hern# S24, Hern# S22/23, Hern# S21, Hern# S19, Hern# S18
Mint
Pretoria Mint, South Africa (SA)

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