Forgery history, detection and counterfeits

Forgeries of the Veldpond:

Because of the popularity of the Veldpond, forgeries were produced as early as 1903.

Some British soldiers wanted to take back with them to England a sample of this magnificent coin.

Rumor has it that they paid up to 40 Pounds for a genuine Veldpond.

Up to date, 5 different forgeries are known, of which 4 have been well documented by Elias Levine in his book “The coinage and counterfeits of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek”. Weight and gold purity differs so much that this cannot be used to identify forgeries.  Some are easier to detect than others. Herewith examples and photos of the forgeries known.

1. The cast copy.
The 5th variety was recently discovered by the author and photos of the coin below. 3 Prominent coin dealers with 40 years’ experience were caught out with this coin. It is a cast copy, but is close to 24ct gold with excellent details, and if the fields on the reverse were not uneven, it would never have been identified. Every aspect of the coin is similar to a genuine sample, except the fields on the reverse.









Weight 8.05grams 21ct Gold.


2.  Long A Variety Forgery.
Most common of the forgeries.

These were produced by Mr Meister and Esche in Rissik street in Johannasburg in 1903.

  • The A of ZAR is disproportionately long, is much higher than a genuine coin.
  • The stroke of the Z is a straight unbroken line.
  • There is no downstroke after the 2 of the date.
  • The horizontal stroke between N and D of Pond is missing.
  • The small blurred stroke on the inside of the N in Pond is also missing









Weight 7.24grams 20ct Gold.


3. The A Crossbar Type.

  • Main downstroke of the A is under the cross- stroke.
  • Downstroke of the R is under the downstroke of A.
  • Letters are thicker than normal.
  • Initial blob on the top of the bar of A is attached to the bar instead of free.
  • Shapes of curves differ.
  • The Middle horizontal stroke of small E slopes upwards.









Weight 8.12grams 21ct Gold


4. Narrow A type:

  • Vertical strokes of A narrower at the top cross bar.
  • Letters are thicker, particular the A.
  • Bottom horizontal stroke of the large E finishes above the first downstroke of N.









Weight: 7.82grams 20ct Gold


5. Missing Z Stroke Vaiety

  • Thin lettering.
  • Smaller date figures. 
  • Distance between 19 and 02 is greater.
  • Final stroke of the Z incomplete.
  • Shape of the P of Pond different










Weight: 7.93grams 21ct Gold.

6. Struck on a 1898 ZAR Pond
This coin has been struck on a 1898 Pond. The coin is thinner and you can still make out some of the writing from the 1898 Pond, like Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek. Not sure if it was experimental during the minting process, or if someone tried to make a forgery. Unique piece.










Weight: 7.66grams 22ct Gold


For comparison, herewith a genuine Veldpond in high uncirculated form: