Let the jingle in your pocket have more value than it’s soon to be worth.
One day the 50c coin, for example, will no longer be, as our currency is declining in value and many consumers prefer to use a card, rather than bank notes and coins, to make payments.
Already the minting of the 1c, 2c and 5c coins has ceased.
When you have a moment to spare there is always the temptation to reach for your phone to alleviate boredom and carry you through the day’s still moments.
Rather take time to empty out the coins in your purse or pocket. Then take a careful look at them. The images on them tell our South African story.
The indigenous Cape honeybee featured on the 10c coin acknowledges the vital role of pollinators in SA’s economy.
The insect was chosen for this role on the coin as it makes a valuable contribution to our wealth by pollinating crops and the fynbos of the Eastern and Western Cape.
The honeybee represents the values of hard work, team effectiveness and productivity.
The original 50c coin had a combination of three indigenous flowering plants featured on its 1965 design — the arum lily, agapanthus and strelitzia.
All may be found in the veld or gardens around the country.
Then later the primary flower featured on the 50c coin from 1990 to 2022 was the Strelitzia reginae. Now the 2023 design on the coin features the Knysna turaco (loerie bird).
The Strelitzia reginae on the 50c coin, still circulating, occurs naturally along the eastern coast of SA from Humansdorp to northern Kwazulu-Natal.
King George III of England named the plant after his German wife Princess Charlotte, who came from the house of Mecklenburg Strelitz.
She became queen of Britain and Ireland at 17 years old and bore 15 children.
After many happy years together, she had to support George through his various mental illnesses.
Sometimes he became violent. One of her contributions was her interest in botany and the role she played in expanding the Kew Gardens.
“Reginae” means “of the queen”.
The strelitzia’s other names are crane flower and bird of paradise.
It is the floral emblem of KwaZulu-Natal and is so commonly seen in gardens around Los Angeles that it is regarded as that city’s floral emblem.
The attributes and needs of the strelitzia:
- It is a symbol of resilience and beauty;
- It flowers from May until December;
- The flowers are long-lasting and popular for use in floral art. A handful makes a spectacular display in a vase;
- Some people arrange just a group of their large spear-shaped leaves in a vase;
- Has the ability to thrive in full sun or light shade;
- Once established, it tolerates drought conditions;
- In the landscape, they are useful as architectural flowers and as focal points;
- Soil pH can be acidic, alkaline or neutral; and
- They make ideal pot plants.
Advice for potting soil for containers is: A mix of two parts loam, two parts sand, three parts bark, half a part bonemeal, one part Bounce Back or 3:1:5 fertiliser.
The plant prefers to be rootbound as if it has too much room for the roots it will produce more foliage. A tight pot signals to the plant that it’s time to flower.
The Strelitzia reginae which is featured on the 50c coin is one of five species. Others are Strelitzia alba, Strelitzia juncea, Strelitzia nicolae and Strelitzia caudata.
Strelitzia reginae is the most popular of all the species and grows from 1.5m to 2m.
Flowers are produced on tall cylindrical steams with the first flowers appearing in autumn. And sometimes the whole year.
They are designed to support pollinators by being held horizontally, providing a landing place for sunbirds and weavers.
The birds perch on the spathe (the rigid, beaklike sheath) and their weight causes the blue petals to open, releasing pollen onto their feet, which is transferred between flowers.
This process is unique to the strelitzia.
The subspecies of Strelitzia reginae is Mandela’s Gold, which has a yellow flower. It is frost-sensitive and can take some light shade.
Strelitzia nicolai is a tree-like species. Take care where you plant it as it has invasive roots. It has giant leaves and produces white and dark blue flowers.
Strelitzia alba is a tall plant which produces white flowers. It is found along the Cape coast.
Strelitzia caudata is called the mountain strelitzia as it is found in mountainous regions. It bears white flowers.
Strelitzia juncea is unusual in that it has cylindrical needle-like leaves.
It has orange and blue flowers which grow just below the height of the tops of the leaves. It grows in arid regions in the Kariega and Patensie area.
For some you have to emigrate from SA to appreciate and long for all uniqueness representing the country you left behind.
I recall the time on returning home after living in Australia for three years where we were posted to fulfil a work assignment.
As we were boarding the South African Airways flight, a steward welcomed us aboard in Afrikaans.
Though I’m English speaking, it was sweet music to my ears and I was tearful.
Until then I had not realised how much I missed my homeland.
If you know of someone leaving SA, you cannot give them a bag of biltong as a parting gift, but a handful of coins will be an apt reminder of some of what they have left behind.
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