TOPIC:

I am cataloging a box of boer war artifacts for an organization, and while going through the collection came across a brooch and and fragment of another. They appear to have been made to replicate a ZAR coinage. All the artifacts in this box have most likely come from the veld. I couldn't find anything similar online to this brooch design. Thank you

J.I.W



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Can you show the back, and indicate the size?

I sadly don't have a image of the back right now, but it is blank, hence my thinking that it is not made from a coin. Attached is a photo of the brooch compared to a ZAR 1 shilling coin.



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Kaapse Rebel
I too have not seen a similar brooch. It seems to be made by three brass copies of the 1898 ZAR one penny coins, soldered together. The third coin seems to have become detached but it's visible in the second image you posted. It's likely these are not actual pennies, but copies, because the penny was larger than the shilling, not smaller as shown in your photo. And the smaller 3 pence coin did not have "Zuid Afrik. Republiek" on it's obverse.
Very strange but interesting thing! Maybe a numismatist among us will be able to solve this problem?
ROB

These replica one-penny Kruger coins remind me of the "Imitation Kruger Sovereigns" which were, I believe, sold as gaming pieces. I remember my grandfather had a roulette wheel which he used to bring out at Christmas. Instead of playing for genuine cash, participants were provided with gilt-brass reproduction 18th-century gold coins.

At least twelve variants of the imitation sovereigns exist, some of which are uniface like the pennies shown above (Hern #462 - 468).

Of course, the key difference here is that the pennies are considerably smaller than the originals.

Only the ZAR penny used the abbreviated "AFRIK" on the obverse.



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Thank you for everybody's input. If I learn anything more about these curious pieces I will be sure to post it.

J.I.W