Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3051 8-9 January 2017
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South Africa
Republic gold "Veld" Pond 1902 MS65 NGC, Pilgrim's Rest mint, KM11, Fr-4, Hern-Z54, variety with slash on obverse. Obv. ZAR monogram with date below. Rev. "Een Pond." Crudely struck, as all of the Veld Ponds, with a slight off-center strike. Reported Mintage: 986. Thickly reeded edge. Die state with slash above "Z" on obverse. The "Veld" or "Field" pond, with its intimate hand-engraved design, with the 1898/99 Pond, and the Burgers Pond, must surely be second on that list. An artifact of the final stages of the Boer War, this type was produced from 24-kt gold to pay soldiers, and as the story is generally recounted, was literally coined at a makeshift mint in close proximity to the Pilgram's Rest battlefield. P.J. Kloppers, who had no professional experience as a die sinker, and had been previously employed as a school teacher, was tasked with the job of creating the dies. In doing so, he wisely opted for simplicity, illustrating only the the "ZAR" monogram, the date and the denomination, and in doing so, created one of crudest and yet most charming types of the 20th century as can be expected of a type conceived from war, the majority of survivors for this issue were not lovingly cared for. Much like their Burgers pond predecessor, many found their way into jewelry; being inside soldier's pockets, they certainly weren't immediately funneled into collector cabinets. For that reason, exceptional survivors are rare. The present coin, among the finest we have seen, certainly qualifies as conditionally very rare. Its surfaces gleam with superb originality, and the strike is amazing, with every crude stroke of the hand-cut die sharply visible. Considering the conditions in which it was made, this Gem example is astonishingly sharp. No significant marks are noted. Without reservation, this piece is truly a great example of a great type -- certain to be a source of significant pride for its next owner.
Estimate: 40000-60000 USD
Republic gold "Veld" Pond 1902 MS65 NGC, Pilgrim's Rest mint, KM11, Fr-4, Hern-Z54, variety with slash on obverse. Obv. ZAR monogram with date below. Rev. "Een Pond." Crudely struck, as all of the Veld Ponds, with a slight off-center strike. Reported Mintage: 986. Thickly reeded edge. Die state with slash above "Z" on obverse. The "Veld" or "Field" pond, with its intimate hand-engraved design, with the 1898/99 Pond, and the Burgers Pond, must surely be second on that list. An artifact of the final stages of the Boer War, this type was produced from 24-kt gold to pay soldiers, and as the story is generally recounted, was literally coined at a makeshift mint in close proximity to the Pilgram's Rest battlefield. P.J. Kloppers, who had no professional experience as a die sinker, and had been previously employed as a school teacher, was tasked with the job of creating the dies. In doing so, he wisely opted for simplicity, illustrating only the the "ZAR" monogram, the date and the denomination, and in doing so, created one of crudest and yet most charming types of the 20th century as can be expected of a type conceived from war, the majority of survivors for this issue were not lovingly cared for. Much like their Burgers pond predecessor, many found their way into jewelry; being inside soldier's pockets, they certainly weren't immediately funneled into collector cabinets. For that reason, exceptional survivors are rare. The present coin, among the finest we have seen, certainly qualifies as conditionally very rare. Its surfaces gleam with superb originality, and the strike is amazing, with every crude stroke of the hand-cut die sharply visible. Considering the conditions in which it was made, this Gem example is astonishingly sharp. No significant marks are noted. Without reservation, this piece is truly a great example of a great type -- certain to be a source of significant pride for its next owner.
Estimate: 40000-60000 USD