PORTRAIT OF PAUL KRUGER

Signed and Inscribed on the Verso of the Relief with Personal Dedication “Stephanus Hercules Raubenheimer van jou Vrind Oom Paul Kruger President”

This bass relief was undoubtedly based on the same photograph (attached) on which the profile of Paul Kruger on the coin currency of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek was based.

Accoring to Numista the 1/2 Pond Token (with engraver unknown, photo attached) went into circulation in 1874. However, Paul Kruger only became president 9 May 1883 and it is therefore unlikely that he would have appeared on the currency before then.

A wider range of currency was introduced in 1892, with the Otto Schultz (German, 1848-1911) used as medalist (photo of 1 Pond attached).

The dating of the photograph in DUFFEY and Die Burger is therefore incorrect since it had to pre-date at least 1883 when Kruger 58 years of age.

Anton van Wouw engraved the plaques for new Transvaal coins in 1895.

The photograph was published in Die Burger of 10 October 1925 next to a photo of the bass relief that Anton van Wouw made that year to commemorate the centenary of the birth of President Paul Kruger.

Unfortunately our research to date have not been able to identify the sculptor and date of initial creation of this bass relief, but from the above it can reasonably be assumed yo have been as early as 1883 and possibly earlier.

It is believed that the plaque was quite widely available and distributed as an alternative to official photographs of the President. Over the years we have seen editions with a ZAR label on the verso advertised.

Sources:

1. Numista.com
2. Duffey (A.E.), ANTON VAN WOUW (The Smaller Works),  Protea Book Hous, Pretoria, 2008