If you are the kind of collector that gauges their collection by its catalog value, then I strongly recommend looking into the ‘Shilling’ banknotes from old South Africa. These banknotes can be found in a vast array of qualities, from G to EF, at a very reasonable price on eBay. I have discovered this time and time again, and have actually picked up another lately. I have purchased p82d, which is a 1940 10 Shilling note. The catalogue value for this note, in VF condition is $100+, and I managed to get one in F-VF condition for just $13.50 which is a little more than it usually sells for. I have a feeling that this note is a bargain because it does not depict anything interesting on the face side, but I do have to confess that the arms featured on the back are very intricate and interesting.

South Africa 5 Shillings (pick 82d) from 1940

It seems as though I have added quite a few South African banknotes to my collection lately! Another one that I am very happy with is this 5 Pound banknote from 1952, featuring a portrait of Jan van Riebeeck at left. My most favorite part: if you look closely you can see the colonists with their covered wagons near the bottom at center, and some strange animals that look like horned horses at bottom right. Can’t believe that I got this one for just $23.50 off of eBay!!

The first note that I ever owned, from this series, was the one pound note. With the exception of the note color, the banknotes are very similar, and both feature a ship at left on the face side. The one pound note is definitely a good investment in my books, considering its origin and date, but this five pound note trumps the one, because of its denomination and therefore its increased rarity. These are still available in eBay, especially in the Buy It Now section, but you’ll be hard pressed to find one in this condition for $54 or less, which is what I paid for this one.

On a side note, does anyone know anything about the ship featured on the note. I seem to remember that I read somewhere that it was actually a slave ship!! Is this true? It can’t be! Let me know if you find out …

With the opportunities for acquiring some older paper money bills, I usually will not invest a lot of my money in currency that is relatively new. However, I must admit that the latest issues of South African money is very nice to look at, an I have always had a fascination for the safari animals that are printed on the face side of these bills. That having been said I have recently won a bid for South Africa’s p131, which is a 100 Rand note from the 2005 issue. An identical note was issued in 1994 and 1999 as well (p126a and p126b respectively) but it seems at they are hard to find in UNC condition. I purchased this note for $11.52, which is a hell of a steal, if I do say so myself. Today the currency exchange, or face value of the note, is $13.82USD. Wow!

South Africa p131 -- 100 Rand from 2005, featuring a buffalo head on the right hand side of the face. South African banknotes feature many of the animals typical of an African safari.