Description

The South African Mint has a long tradition of embodying the national genius of inventors and inventions on its ‘South African Inventions’ crown and tickey (nickname for 2½ c coin) coin series. Launched in 2016, the series honors inventions and firsts by South Africans that met with immense success globally. The dolos, heart transplant surgery, the computerized tomography (CT) scanner, and epoxy adhesive have been featured in preceding years.

The 2020 series features a South African invention that has revolutionised cataract surgery. The retinal cryoprobe was commercialized by ophthalmologist and biomedical engineer Dr. Selig Percy Amoils in 1965, while he worked at the Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. The cryoprobe is a large, pen-like instrument used in cryosurgery, a technique commonly used to treat cataracts. During cryosurgery, the cryoprobe is inserted into a cut in the eye to deliver extremely cold liquid gas with precision that freezes onto a cataract. The cataract (or other unwanted tissue) can then be removed, with no risk of destroying healthy adjacent tissue. In South Africa, it has been identified as a national health priority, as it remains the leading cause of blindness in the country, according to the South African Optometric Association.

The ingenious design on these coins allows for a surprise: when the smaller tickey is placed on the bigger crown, it gives the impression of a retinal cryoprobe procedure.

A combination set consists of the two coins and a sterling-silver miniature sculpture of the eye, packaged in a beautiful piano-finish varnish walnut-wood box.