1892 Mint
Royal Prussian Mint, Berlin
Gold Source?
Historical records unclear
1902 Mint
Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga
Key Individual
P.J. Kloppers (school teacher)
The Gold Behind the Coins
Tracing the Origins of ZAR Gold: The 1892 Berlin Coinage and the 1902 Veldpond
Two pivotal moments in South African numismatic history – the first official coinage struck in Berlin (1892) and the last desperate coinage struck in the veld at Pilgrim's Rest (1902). This page examines the sources of the gold and the remarkable circumstances of their minting.
Key Facts
- 1892 mintage: ~16,000 Ponde (double shaft)
- Proof mintage: ~10 pieces
- 1902 mintage: 986 Veldponde
- Survival: ~350‑400 Veldponde exist today
️ The 1892 ZAR Gold: Berlin Minting and the Question of Gold Sources
The Berlin Contract
The first ZAR coins were struck on contract by the Royal Prussian Mint at Berlin [citation:3]. President Paul Kruger ordered two mint presses from Ludw. Loew & Co. in Berlin to be used in the newly established mint in 1892, which was built on Church Square, Pretoria. The machines had a manufacturing date of 1891 [citation:7].
The task of engraving the dies was entrusted to Otto Schultz, a medallist at the Berlin Mint whose skill at producing lifelike, deeply engraved portraiture in metal is readily seen in his rendering of the bust of President Paul Kruger [citation:3].
The Engraver: Otto Schultz
Schultz had a long list of engraving triumphs to his name by the time he was entrusted with the Transvaal coinage, including a number of splendid royal medals [citation:3]. His specialty was medals, and this skill is evident in the crispness of detail and sharpness of rims on the 1892 proofs compared to later issues [citation:3]. The Berlin Münzkabinett still preserves a wax model as well as various striking tools for South African coins in the former die archive of the Berlin Mint [citation:5].
The Missing Link: Gold Provenance
Important research note: The search results do not explicitly state whether the gold used for the 1892 Berlin-struck coins originated from the Transvaal gold fields or was sourced in Germany. This represents a gap in the historical record that requires further research.
The available sources confirm that the dies were made in Berlin and the coins were struck there [citation:1][citation:3][citation:5]. The Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection holds an 1892 Pond described as "place made: Germany: Berlin; place used: South Africa" [citation:1]. This confirms the coins were struck in Germany for use in South Africa.
However, none of the search results specify whether the gold was shipped from the Transvaal to Berlin or whether the Berlin Mint used its own gold reserves. The Western Cape Numismatic Society's detailed research on the 1892 coinage focuses on the proof issues, the "Glück auf Transvaal" medals, and Otto Schultz's work, but does not address the source of the gold [citation:9].
"Numismatists who wish to study closely all of these coins will discover their special crispness of detail, and sharpness of rims, compared to what is seen on the issued dates that followed, those of 1893 onward." — Heritage Auctions description of the 1892 proof Pond [citation:3]
The Proof Issues
Only a small number of proof coins were struck in 1892. Heritage Auctions notes that the 1892 proof Pond had an estimated mintage of only 10 pieces, and these proofs "were kept for the engraver or his employer, and for a mere handful of politicians associated with the coins' creation" [citation:3]. The Western Cape Numismatic Society's research, drawing on the work of E.A. Hohmann and J.T. Becklake, confirms that these proof sets came from the collections of former employees of the Royal Prussian Mint in Berlin [citation:9].
The Glück Auf Transvaal Medal
Connected to the opening of the Pretoria Mint, 25 commemorative "Glück auf Transvaal" (Good Luck to the Transvaal) medals were struck in copper in Berlin by the private mint of L. Ostermann. The obverse shows a winged Fortuna, while the reverse reads "Erste Prägung auf den munz-machinen 1892" (first impression by the coin machine 1892). These medals were designed by Otto Schultz and likely presented when the mint presses were first put into operation in Pretoria, probably in November 1892 rather than at the official building opening in 1893 [citation:9].
The Veldpond (1902): Birth, Location, and Key Figures
The Historical Context
The South African War (also known as the Second Boer War) between the British and the Boers took place from 1899 to 1902. Toward the end of the war, the remaining fighters for the South African Republic fled into the countryside to assert their independence from the British. It was in these desperate circumstances that the Veldpond was born [citation:4][citation:6].
Location: Pilgrim's Rest
The coins were produced in the "veld" or "field" at a makeshift mint established in the bush at Pilgrim's Rest in northeastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga) [citation:2][citation:4][citation:8]. This was an emergency mint set up by Boer forces on the run from the British [citation:2][citation:10].
The site was a gold mining area – one consignor's ancestor worked as an engineer on the mines in Pilgrim's Rest prior to the war [citation:10].
Mintage: 986 Pieces
The reported mintage stands at 986 pieces for the Veldpond [citation:2][citation:8]. Some sources cite 968 coins [citation:4][citation:6], but 986 is the more commonly accepted figure. The coins were struck out of necessity to pay Boer soldiers' wages [citation:2][citation:8].
The Key Figure: P.J. Kloppers
P.J. Kloppers – a former school teacher with no professional experience as a die sinker – was tasked with creating the dies [citation:2][citation:8]. He wisely opted for simplicity, creating one of the crudest and most distinctive coin types of the 20th century [citation:2].
- Obverse design: A proudly defiant "ZAR" monogram (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) with the date 1902 below [citation:2][citation:8].
- Reverse design: The denomination "EEN POND" (One Pound) [citation:2][citation:8].
- Die failure: One obverse die became notched, resulting in the celebrated "slash" variety visible to the upper left of the obverse on some specimens [citation:2][citation:8].
The Minting Process
Gold Source
Pure 24-karat gold was obtained by melting down gold bars and gold nuggets [citation:4][citation:6][citation:8]. The source was almost certainly local gold from the Pilgrim's Rest area, a known gold mining region.
Melting and Shaping
The fighters used old farm machinery and accessible chemicals to melt the gold down and make it pliable enough to shape into coins [citation:4][citation:6]. The gold was cast into blanks, which were shaped into currency using a manually operated lathe [citation:8].
Authorization
Validated facts show that a commanding general of the Boer troops requested the coins, and the republic's acting president authorized their production [citation:8].
Survival and Condition
- At the highest preservation levels (MS65), Veld Ponds are encountered only once every few years [citation:2].
- The last Gem Mint State example offered at auction was in January 2023 [citation:2].
- A notable MS64 example from the November 2020 Heritage sale had an extraordinary provenance – held within the same family for over 100 years and through four successive generations, acquired by the consignor's great-grandfather who worked as an engineer in Pilgrim's Rest immediately after the war [citation:10].
Collector Notes
- Varieties: The "slash" variety (notched die) is well-documented and highly collectible [citation:2][citation:8].
- Off-center strikes: Some examples show a slightly off-center strike, which adds character and does not detract from value [citation:8].
- Grading: NGC and PCGS certification is strongly recommended due to the crude nature of the coins and the potential for counterfeits.
Key People in ZAR Gold Coinage
| Person | Role | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Otto Schultz | Engraver/Medallist | Designed all 1892 ZAR dies at Berlin Mint; created the "O.S." initials and double shaft error; his portrait of Kruger is still used on Krugerrands today [citation:3][citation:5][citation:9] |
| P.J. Kloppers | Die sinker (1902) | Former school teacher with no professional experience; created the iconic Veldpond dies [citation:2][citation:8] |
| Friedrich Munscheid | Mint Director | Former Works Inspector of the Royal Prussian Mint, appointed Director of the Pretoria Mint [citation:9] |
| L. Ostermann | Private Mint Owner | Struck the 25 "Glück auf Transvaal" medals in Berlin [citation:9] |
| Ludwig Loewe & Co. | Press Manufacturer | Manufactured the two mint presses ordered by President Kruger in 1891 [citation:7][citation:9] |
| E.A. Hohmann | Collector | Owned two 1892 proof sets and two "Glück auf Transvaal" medals, purchased in Berlin in 1954 [citation:9] |
Mint Locations
Berlin, Germany (1892)
Royal Prussian Mint (Königliche Münze). Struck all 1892-dated ZAR coins [citation:1][citation:3][citation:5]. The former die archive of the Berlin Mint still preserves original wax models and striking tools [citation:5].
Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga (1902)
Makeshift field mint in the bush. Boer forces melted down gold bars and nuggets using old farm machinery and accessible chemicals [citation:2][citation:4][citation:8].
Pretoria Mint (from 1893)
The National Bank and Mint building on Church Square, Pretoria, opened officially in April 1893, though minting may have begun as early as November 1892 [citation:7][citation:9].
Open Research Questions
The search results leave several questions unanswered, which may represent opportunities for further research:
- Gold source for 1892 Berlin coinage: Did the Transvaal ship its own gold to Germany, or did the Berlin Mint use its own gold reserves? This critical detail is absent from the available sources.
- Exact number of proof sets: The discovery that E.A. Hohmann purchased two complete proof sets in Berlin in 1954, each accompanied by a "Glück auf Transvaal" medal, raises the question of whether 25 proof sets were originally issued (corresponding to the 25 medals) [citation:9].
- The Ostermann connection: Why did the private mint of L. Ostermann strike the commemorative medals rather than the official Berlin Mint? One theory suggests the official mint outsourced the striking for unknown reasons [citation:9].
If you have access to primary source documents, mint records, or shipping manifests that could answer these questions, please consider contributing to this research.
Sources
- Smithsonian Institution. "1 Pond, South African Republic, 1892" [citation:1]
- Heritage Auctions. "South Africa: Republic gold 'Veld' Pond 1902 MS65 NGC" (Aug 2024) [citation:2]
- Heritage Auctions. "South Africa: Republic gold Proof Pond 1892" (Jan 2012) [citation:3]
- National Museum of American History. "1 Veld Pond, South African Republic, 1902" [citation:4]
- Berlin Münzkabinett / museum-digital. "Südafrika: 1892" [citation:5]
- Smithsonian Institution. "1 Veld Pond, South African Republic, 1902" (Lilly Collection) [citation:6]
- South African Mint. "Home to Oom Paul" [citation:7]
- Heritage Auctions. "Republic gold 'Veld' Pond 1902 MS65 NGC" (Jan 2025) [citation:8]
- Western Cape Numismatic Society. "The ZAR Coinage of 1892 Part 2" (Pierre H. Nortje, Dec 2023) [citation:9]
- Heritage Auctions. "South Africa: Republic gold 'Veld' Pond 1902 MS64 NGC" (Nov 2020) [citation:10]