SA to get new coins in 2023 – Here’s what they’ll look like

South Africans will be using new-look money from next year after the government approved new coins.

The new coins will be legal tender from 1 January 2023.

Our coins will now feature whales, loeries and bees on them.

Cabinet approved the coins in September, after the Reserve Bank gazetted the new designs.

New coin designs

10 cent

The 10 cent coins will now have a bee on them. The insect replaces the arum lilly that was previously on the coin.

20 cent

The 20 cent coin will no longer have a protea; an aloe will now be on it.

50 cent

The strelitzia flower on the 50 cent coin will be replaced by a loerie.

R1

Although the protea was taken off the 20c coin, it hasn’t disappeared. It will replace the springbok on the R1 coin.

R2

The springbok will replace the kudu on the R2 coin.

R5

The wildebeest on the old R5 coins will be gone. South Africans will now see whales on the country’s highest denomination coin.

ALSO READ: South Africa not getting new R500 bank note and R10 coin

All official languages

In addition to the new animals that will feature on our coins, ‘South Africa’ will be printed on the coins in all official languages.

The different languages will feature on the money via a rotational system. A new language will be inserted every year.  

The old coins, however, might be in circulation for a while as the new designs will only be introduced gradually.

NOW READ: How to identify looted bank notes