The Veldpond , a coin to be proud of !!!

[geejay50 10]

Hello all,

 

I just want to remind you of the great history that surrounds one of South Africa's best loved coins, the 1902 Veldpond.

 

Struck in a desperate situation where the Boers had lost 22,000 farms burnt , 20,000 women and children dead in forty concentration camps, leaders who were living with their comrades off the veld (unlike Generals in subsequent conflicts).300,000 British troops against no more than 30,000 operational boer troops- outnumbered 10 to 1. They were facing extermination as a people by the begining of 1902 from mere starvation.

 

In spite of this,they were prepared to do the decent thing and mint coins from Gold that were acceptable to the holders of food (black farmers whom the British had left intact).

 

Anybody who has experienced war will understand well that it is much easier for an armed soldier to comandeer food at gunpoint than to buy it.

 

This coin is mute testimony to the remaining decency that existed in some of the Boer war effort. It should be hailed as such - a coin we collectors and all South African people can be proud of for ever regardless of what anybody tries to revise in History.

 

Geejay

Edited July 16, 2011 by geejay50

[republikein 11]

Baie mooi verwoord!

[geejay50 10]

Baie Dankie Republikein,

 

Ja dis 'n munt want het ontstaan van bittere smart, met leiers wat saam met hul troepe gelei het en die khakis ontwyk het. Geen BEE konferensies nie, net lewe en dood. Geen wonder die mense sing van De La Rey - die werklike leiers het ons nie meer nie, net kortbroek en sy betaalde klomp.

 

Daar le werklike bloed op die munt.

 

Geen moderne hi tech munt kan daar naby dit staan nie.

 

Geejay

Edited July 20, 2011 by geejay50

[republikein 11]

Ja, as daar na die ABO (1899-1902) 'n Waarheids -en Versoeningskommissie was, sou daar dalk tronkmure om die Britse Eilande gebou moes word (tong in die kies). Jy praat diep waarhede! Die Boervolk (nasate van die Boere-Republikeine van die Boererepublieke en hul geesgenote) is in bannelingskap in hul eie land! Die ZAR-munte is 'n testament vir 'n staat en era lank verlore. 'n Groot jammerte is dat die Vrystaatse Republiek nooit sy eie munte gemunt het nie - dit sou voorwaar pragtige munte gewees het! Vandag se munte is maar taamilik verbeeldingloos en waardeloos (alhoewel daar geld te maak is uit Mandela R5'e, ens.). Kyk gerus na die dvd Die Kruger Miljoene vir 'n gedramatiseerde vertolking van die geskiedenis rondom die veldponde. Het ek maar 'n paar honderdduisend Rand gehad wat rondle...

[Pierre_Henri 87]

Can I ask the experts to please look at the following Veldpond and tell me if it is a possible forgery or not?

Its weight is 8 grams and size 22 mm in diameter which corresponds with authentic Veldponde.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/Pierrex/Veldpond.jpg

[kyle2 10]

Can I ask the experts to please look at the following Veldpond and tell me if it is a possible forgery or not?

Its weight is 8 grams and size 22 mm in diameter which corresponds with authentic Veldponde.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/Pierrex/Veldpond.jpg

 

If its a forgery, then its a d@mn good copy, the 9 caught my eye though, seems to be very slightly different from the NGC certified unit above.

[geejay50 10]

Hi Pierre,

Looks Authentic to me. The 9 is correct as per Eli Levine.

Geejay

[kyle2 10]

Randcoins had a Veldpond for sale at the show on Saturday, if I'm not mistaken they were asking about R200000 for it.

[geejay50 10]

Hi Kyle2,

I have gone into Heritage Auction archives and have posted the prices actually fetched for three Veldponds in last year's auctions under my Scarce Coin watch . There has been a 20 fold increase in price for the price fetched for an MS63 Veldpond in 1998 compared to the same grade sold last year. There is just not another coin in our numismatic history with the same "seige status". This was a coin actually minted to buy food for desperate dignified people not given to plunder.That is the bottom line.

Geejay

[EWAAN Galleries 11]

Can we compare an AU veldpond to a High Grade UNC???

 

Hi

 

Randcoin had a veldpond in AU. One cannot compare prices in any AU grade, even if it be an AU58 with a highly graded MS63.

 

We also sold a MS63 about a year ago for R450 000-00 on bid or buy but interesting that was the only high graded UNC Veldpond without the slash...

 

And if you can get the AU55 Veldpond from Randcoin at that price its definitely a bargain. I thought they had it there for R250 000-00 at least.

 

Cheers

 

Ahmed

[Cold Sea 6]

The Squirrel

 

Now this is one of those that I cannot seem to fathom.

 

Geejay says:

This was a coin actually minted to buy food for desperate dignified people not given to plunder

 

Now why would a coin that is MS and been squirrelled away by someone who did not really need it, have more value than one that was used, made and survived the history that made it so famous. I think that the circulated coins should have at least the same value as the Unc.

[geejay50 10]

Hi all,

 

All collectors are aware of the huge difference that exists between pretty coins made in precious metals that commemorate events,people and animals in our history and ACTUAL COINS THAT WERE USED BY ALL PEOPLE who had them for purposes of survival in harsh conditions such as the Veldpond. These will always be revered for the actual "grass roots" origin of them that the high tech fairly sterile and glittsy coins can never quite achieve even despite lowish mintage. This is what gives business strike MS coins such an edge over proofs for example.

 

My 5c worth

 

Geejay