South Africa, 2002 AD., Republic, 50 Cents, KM 271.

South Africa, Republic, engravers: Arthur L. Sutherland (obverse) and Linda Lotriet (reverse), 2002 AD.,
50 Cents (ø 22 mm / 4,88 g), brass plated steel (magnetic, planchet: 90,8% iron, 1,2% carbon, layers: 4,8%-5,6% copper, 3,2%-2,4% zinc), 5,00 g theor. mint weight, mintage 16.000.000 , axis medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), reeded edge,
Obv.: 2002 / Aforika – Borwa / ǃKE E: ǀXARRA ǁKE / ALS , 4th Coat of arms (27 April 2000-) with incuse motto: !KE E: /XARRA //KE (translated: Unity in Diversity) with the motto in Bochimans. Name of the country in Tswana Legend - Aforika Borwa.
Rev.: 50 / c / LL , a crane flower (Strelitzia flower), value r. above, engraver´s initials below.
KM 271 ; Hern Nf14 ; Schön 309 .

Year / Mint Mark / Mintage
2002 16,000,000
2002 BU-set
2002 3,250 proof issue

- The files of SouAfr6st.jpg and SouAfr6ast.jpg show pictures of the same coin - but more indirect illumination of the surface on SouAfr6st.jpg , direct illumination on SouAfr6ast.jpg

South Africa has 11 official languages. Since 2002, the name of the country has been rendered on coins in a different language every year. They rotate :

2002 - Tswana
2003 - Sepedi / Sesotho
2004 - Afrikaans
2005 - Xhosa
2006 - Zulu
2007 - Ndebele
2008 - Tshivenda
2009 - Swati
2010 - Xitsonga
2011 – English

Strelitzia is a genus of five species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. It belongs to the plant family Strelitziaceae. The genus is named after the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, birthplace of Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. A common name of the genus is bird of paradise flower / plant, because of a resemblance of its flowers to birds-of-paradise. In South Africa it is commonly known as a crane flower and is featured on the reverse of the 50 cent coin.