South Africa | 1981 | 1 Cent | Coat of arms

South Africa





The first coat of arms of the Union of South Africa was granted by King George V on 17 September 1910, shortly after the Union’s formation. It combined symbols of the four former colonies: Hope for the Cape of Good Hope, wildebeests for Natal, an orange tree for the Orange Free State, and a wagon for the Transvaal. Additional elements and supporters were drawn from colonial arms, while a lion holding bound rods symbolized unity. The motto Ex Unitate Vires was translated as “Union is Strength” until 1961 and later as “Unity is Strength.”


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