10 April 2021
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A trove of rare South African gold coins discovered in a Swiss vault has been released by the South African Mint.
While it is true that gold was evacuated from Pretoria by the then Transvaal Government during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), no accurate account has ever been produced of its fate, spawning an urban legend of the ‘Kruger Millions’.
Named ‘the lost hoard’ by the numismatic community, the Kruger ponde were stored in the Netherlands during the early 20th century. The parcel was then transferred to Switzerland before the Second World War for safekeeping and remained in a Swiss vault for decades, until it was recently sold at an auction.
Coins now available to collectors
Currently in the possession of the South African Mint, the coins are available for purchase, along with a 2019 limited-edition privy-mark Krugerrand. The coins are available in two sets.
The first set is made up of an 1893 to 1900 Lost Hoard Kruger half-pond with a 2019 1/10 oz gold privy-mark proof Krugerrand; the second set consists of an 1893 to 1900 Lost Hoard Kruger full pond and a 2019 ¼ oz gold privy-mark proof Krugerrand. The sets have limited editions of 233 and 677 units, respectively.
Honey Mamabolo, Managing Director of the South African Mint, said:
‘The discovery of the Lost Hoard is truly awe-inspiring, and it is with great pride that we offer the coin sets to the numismatic fraternity.’
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