South Africa, 1979 AD., Republic, Nicolaas J. Diederichs commemorative, Pretoria mint, 50 Cents, KM 103.
South Africa, Republic, Nicolaas J. Diederichs commemorative, engravers: Lourens De Lange (obv:) Tommy Sasseen (rev.), Pretoria mint, 1979 AD.,
50 Cents (ø 27,8 mm / 9,51 g), nickel (magnetic), 9,50 g. theor. mint weight, mintage 5.066.000 , axes medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), plain edge,
Obv.: SOUTH AFRICA - SUID-AFRIKA / L D L / • 1979 • , bust of President Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs facing left, bilingual English/Afrikaans legend flanking, engraver´s initials and date below.
Rev.: 50 / T.S. , three South African flowers (Arum Lily (Zantedeschia), an African Lily (Agapanthus praecox) and a Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)), value right, engraver´s initials below.
KM 103 .
Year / Mintage
1979 5.051.000 (20.000 in mint set MS16)
1979 15,000 (proof) (10.000/5.000 in proof set PS105/PS106)
Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs (17 November 1903 – 21 August 1978) served as the third State President of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.[2]
An economist, Diederichs obtained a doctorate from the University of Leiden. During the 1930s and 1940s he became a prominent figure in Afrikaner nationalist circles. He founded the Reddingsdaadbond organisation to promote the economic wellbeing of Afrikaners.
Diederichs was a National Party member of Parliament from 1953 to 1975. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1958 to 1967, as Minister of Mines from 1961 to 1964, and as Minister of Finance from 1967 to 1975. In the latter capacity he became known as "Mr Gold." He served as the first chancellor or the Rand Afrikaans University and ceremonial State President from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town. More on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico_Diederichs