1898 Sammy Marks Tickey

History – The Man, The Myth, The Coin

Samuel Marks: From Peddler to Tycoon

Samuel Marks (1843–1920) was born in Lithuania to Jewish parents and fled religious persecution, arriving in Cape Town in 1868 as a young peddler of cheap jewellery and cutlery . He quickly rose to prominence, partnering with his cousin Isaac Lewis to establish a trading store in Kimberley amid the diamond rush. By the 1870s, they controlled a quarter of the region's diamond claims . Later, Lewis and Marks relocated to the Eastern Transvaal, and after trading in the boomtown of Barberton, established the African and European Investment Company, which became a major Rand finance house with controlling interests in several gold mines. Marks also developed the Viljoen's Drift coal mine and encouraged the expansion of the Witbank coalfields .

In Pretoria, Marks cultivated a close friendship with President Paul Kruger, the Boer leader who resisted British expansion. As a token of respect and friendship, he commissioned the statue of Kruger on Church Square in Pretoria, sculpted by Anton van Wouw and cast in bronze in Europe – a gift that cost £10,000 (almost R40 million at current value) .

The Permission – Kruger or Reitz?

According to legend, President Kruger granted Marks permission to use the Pretoria Mint for one day in recognition of his services to the Republic . Marks instructed the officials to strike the most modest silver coin of the realm – the 3 pence "tickey" – but in gold instead of silver .

However, research has complicated this story. As early as 1934, J.T. Becklake, the last Deputy Mint Master of the Royal Mint in Pretoria, wrote that an official record states the gold threepenny pieces were minted on the verbal authority of State Secretary Francis William Reitz, and that such authority was withdrawn shortly after – but the pieces had already been minted . Article nine of the Mint Act allowed private gold coining, but the exact source of the gold blanks remains unknown .

When Were They Struck?

The coin is dated 1898, but the Pretoria Mint was actually closed from 1 January 1898 to 30 September 1899 due to unprofitability . It reopened on 1 October 1899 – less than two weeks before the outbreak of the Second Anglo‑Boer War. This raises the question: were the tickeys struck in 1898 (during the Mint's closure) or later?

The answer comes from the 12th report of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines for the Years 1900 and 1901, which contains a reconciliation of gold that passed through the Mint during the war (October 1899 to June 1900) . The report mentions 0.562 kg of gold used to strike 3d pieces – exactly the weight that produces 215 gold tickeys. This confirms that the coins were struck during the war, not in 1898, and that the mintage figure of 215 is authoritative .

Why Were They Struck?

Several theories have been proposed:

• Jewellery for his wife: Some sources say the coins were intended to make a coin-girdle or bracelet for Marks's wife, Bertha, but the idea was dropped when they realized how heavy and impractical it would be . Bertha's will (1934) mentions a bracelet set with five of these coins .
• Dinner party gifts: It is reported that when a large dinner party was held at the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg (which opened in 1906), each guest received one of these gold tickeys .
• Family gifts: After Marks's death in 1920, his wife Bertha gave specimens to relatives, friends, and employees. One such recipient was James Potts, the carpenter at Marks's farm Zwartkoppies – all members of the Potts family received tickeys .

Myths and Misconceptions

The Sammy Marks Tickey has been surrounded by myths for decades. As recently as 2008, a newspaper reported that only seven examples existed – a claim thoroughly debunked by the mintage of 215 and the 46 examples certified by NGC alone . The Western Cape Numismatic Society's research has systematically dismantled these legends using archival records .

Design and Specifications

Note: The dies for the 1898 tickey are preserved in the South African Mint Museum in Centurion, Pretoria .

The 1894 Gold Tickey – A Mysterious Sibling

The Sammy Marks Tickey is not the only gold 3 pence from the ZAR. Two known specimens of an 1894 gold tickey exist – one resides in the South African Mint Museum, and the other is in a private collection . The origin or purpose of these is unknown, but their authenticity has been verified .

Market Data and Population

Market Value Estimates (Mint State)

• MS62: $18,000 – $20,000
• MS63: $25,000 – $30,000
• MS64: $75,000 – $82,000

Many examples survive with "Details" grades due to being ex‑jewellery (mounted, cleaned, or damaged). Problem‑free specimens command substantial premiums .

Auction Records (2004–2025)

Sources

• Western Cape Numismatic Society. "The Sammy Marks Tickey and its Myths" (Pierre H. Nortje, Oct 2023)
• CoinWeek. "Rare South African Gold Coin's Origin Story is the Stuff of Legend" (Sep 2025)
• Noonans Mayfair. Auction catalogues (2004, 2005, 2023, 2024)
• Heritage Auctions. Gatsby Collection (Jan 2025), Gatsby II (Aug 2025), Orange River (2012), Read Collection (2015, 2023)
• Stack's Bowers. NYINC World Coins Auction (Jan 2023)
• Spink. Dr Frank Becker Collection (Sep 2023)
• Becklake, J.T. Transvaal Chamber of Mines reports (1900-1901)
• Muntstuk.com. "Threepence, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, 1898, Gold"

Revision History