Jardines Galleries · Start here · For new collectors · Three movements · About three hours
Absolute beginner's guide.
Start here if you've never collected a coin before. This page is the gateway to the rest of the Library — the first place a new collector should land. It moves through three things: what to do, what to avoid, and how to begin. By the end, you'll know your first move, your first purchase, and the four library pages that take you further. You can start in the next five minutes — coins from your own pocket change count.
You can start today
Pocket change · first collection · No purchase required to beginCoin collecting doesn't need money or expertise to start. Your first collection is hiding in the change in your pocket — modern R5s, 2019 SA25 commemoratives, Mandela coins, animal-design coins.
From there, the path opens up: a first purchase under R500, a handful of mistakes to avoid, and the rest of the Library waiting when you're ready. The page is short on purpose. Read it once, then go.
Three movements
What to do · What to avoid · How to beginThe page moves through three things, in this order. What to do (pocket change safari + first purchase). What to avoid (the four beginner mistakes that ruin collections). How to begin (a graduation routing through five next steps).
The first five minutes
Four steps · Do them in order · Coins from your pocket countYour first five minutes · right now · no purchase required. If you have any South African coins in your pocket, wallet, or change jar, you can start your collection in the time it takes to read this paragraph. The four steps below are the entire onboarding.
Check your pocket change
Look for R5, 2019 R2, Mandela
Handle by edges only
Place in a paper envelope
What is coin collecting?
Numismatics · The hobby · Why people collectCoin collecting — numismatics — is the hobby of collecting coins, banknotes, and medals. People collect for history, art, geography, and the thrill of treasure hunting. It's been pursued by presidents, by Mandela himself, and by millions of others for the same reasons: every coin is a small artefact with its own story.
Why collect?
- History — coins tell stories from the moment they were struck
- Art — beautiful designs by major engravers and sculptors
- Geography — coins from everywhere, every era, every culture
- Treasure hunting — find rarities in everyday change
Famous collectors
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, and many others have enjoyed coin collecting throughout history. The hobby spans every kind of person — from heads of state to schoolchildren — because the appeal is universal: tiny artefacts of art and history that fit in your pocket.
Your first collection
Pocket change safari · Four coins to hunt for · Hiding in your wallet right nowYour first collection is hiding in your pocket. Four coins to look for, all of which appear regularly in everyday change. You won't have to spend anything — you just keep them when you spot them.
The R5 bi-metal
Any R5 coin from 2004 onwards. Hold it up — you'll see two different metals, a silver outer ring and golden inner core. The starter coin for understanding modern SA mintage.
The 2019 R2 SA25
2019 R2 coins celebrating 25 years of democracy. Five different designs — try to find all five. The first commemorative most beginners encounter in the wild.
Any Mandela coin
Any coin from 2012 to present with Nelson Mandela's portrait. Appears on multiple denominations. Often overlooked because they're so common — and that's exactly why you should collect them now.
Any animal coin
Any coin with a South African animal — springbok, elephant, kudu, others. Almost every SA coin has one. Sort by which animal appears.
Your first purchase
Under R500 · Four affordable starter options · From SA Mint & dealersNumismatics isn't a wealthy person's hobby. Below R500 — under $30 — there are four good starter purchases that introduce different kinds of collecting. Choose one; you don't need to buy all four. See the First 5 Coins page for the full curated starter sequence.
2024 Big Five Elephant R5
Silver, brilliant uncirculated. The most accessible Big Five entry. Part of the SA Mint's flagship contemporary series.
2023 Flowers of South Africa
Single coin from the colour series. Stunning applied colour — Birds & Flowers represent the modern Mint's signature technical innovation.
Current year uncirculated set
All current SA denominations in pristine condition. The closing piece — gives any starter collection a complete contemporary anchor.
Mandela banknote set
Current issue banknotes. Acquire at face value from any bank. A banknote starter that costs nothing more than the notes themselves are worth.
Common beginner mistakes
Four mistakes that ruin collections · Avoid these from day oneFour mistakes destroy more beginner collections than every other factor combined. Internalise these before you start. Most damage from these is irreversible — once a coin is cleaned, fingerprinted, or PVC-damaged, no professional service can undo it.
Cleaning coins
Destroys value 90% or more. Even gentle cleaning leaves micro-abrasions that PCGS and NGC graders spot instantly. Never clean. Store properly instead.
Touching the surfaces
Fingerprints etch over time. Skin oils react chemically with metal and the print becomes visible — permanently. Hold by edges only. Cotton gloves for valuable coins.
Buying raw rarities
High counterfeit risk. Major SA rarities — ZAR Ponds, Sammy Marks Tickeys, Burgersponds — are widely faked. Buy certified (NGC, PCGS) or only from trusted dealers.
Storing in PVC flips
Green slime, permanent damage. PVC decomposes over years into an oily corrosive substance that bonds to coin surfaces. Use Mylar or polyethylene — never PVC.
Cleaning destroys numismatic value by 90% or more. The damage is permanent. If a coin is dirty, leave it dirty — that's how professional collectors do it too.
Frequently asked questions
Six common beginner questions · The short answers · Deeper coverage in the FAQ pageSix common questions beginners ask first, with brief answers. For the full Q&A treatment — fifteen questions across five topics — see the FAQ for Beginners page which sits next in the chain after First 5 Coins.
Is this coin worth anything?
Check the date first — but older isn't always valuable. Many old coins are common; some new ones are rare. See the FAQ for the proper authentication path.
Should I clean my coins?
NEVER. Cleaning destroys value. Read the mistakes section above and the dedicated Storage & Display page.
Where do I buy coins?
Start with the SA Mint for new commemoratives and local dealers for older coins. See Coin Dealers & Auction Houses.
How much money do I need?
Start with pocket change — free! First purchase under R500. Most collections are built over years, not days. Money isn't the limiting factor for getting started.
What's a proof coin?
A special shiny coin made for collectors using polished dies and planchets. See the Glossary for the precise technical definition.
What's a Krugerrand?
South Africa's famous gold coin, introduced in 1967. The world's first modern bullion coin. See the Krugerrand Hub for the full history.
Next steps
Graduation routing · Five paths into the Library · From here, the path opens upOnce you've absorbed this page, five routes open into the rest of the Library. Each addresses a different beginner need: vocabulary, prescription, preservation, sourcing, and community. Move through them in order, or jump to whichever matches your immediate question.
The Glossary
Read this first — learn the language. Obverse, reverse, proof, mintage, encapsulation. Every other Library page assumes you know the vocabulary.
Open the Glossary — Route 02 · Prescription —First 5 Coins
The concrete prescription: five specific coins for R800 – 1,500 total. Build your first mini-collection over one to three months.
See the five — Route 03 · Preservation —How to store
Protect your coins from day one. Threats, materials, methods. The preservation discipline that keeps a collection valuable for decades.
Read the guide — Route 04 · Sourcing —Find dealers
The SA dealer landscape. SAAND members, auction houses, market specialists. Where to buy beyond your pocket change.
See the dealers — Route 05 · Community —Join the community
Find a Facebook group or local coin club. The hobby is fundamentally social — collectors love showing collections to other collectors. The established SA bodies — SAAND, WCNS — plus the Bergman Trophy lineage and the regional societies that meet monthly.
Find your communitySources
Library content · General numismatic knowledge- Compiled from Library content and general numismatic knowledge. The advice on this page is distilled from the full Library — every section points to a deeper Library page where the topic gets specialist treatment.
- SA Mint — samint.co.za · current commemorative series, pricing, availability.
- Hern, Brian. Standard Catalogue of South African Coins — the cross-era reference for collector pricing.
- PCGS & NGC. Conservation and grading standards — the "never clean" rule originates here.