| Before establishing a correct definition of the | | | | 1994. With the abolishment of apartheid, mini |
| South African mini krugerrand, it is helpful to | | | | krugerrands and their larger "cousins" became |
| understand the history behind this coin and why it | | | | legal imports to the U.S. |
| has become so amazingly popular among | | | | Today krugerrands are minted in several sizes, |
| collectors. But first, before you invest in a full | | | | including mini krugerrands of one-half, one-quarter, |
| one-ounce krugerrand or a mini krugerrand, | | | | and one-tenth ounces. Mini krugerrands are said |
| beware of hoaxes! It is untrue that the Shroud of | | | | by coin collectors to have resulted from the |
| Turin - believed by some to be the burial cloth of | | | | failure of the U.S. Susan B. Anthony dollar coin and |
| Jesus Christ, contains images of coins over the | | | | unsuccessful attempts in 1976 to re-introduce the |
| body's eyes that appear amazingly similar to mini | | | | U.S. two-dollar bill. Unlike full-sized krugerrands, mini |
| krugerrands! Also, there is no such thing as a | | | | krugerrands are often used in South African |
| silver krugerrand; check your facts with a | | | | marketplaces because of their purity in face value |
| reputable coin dealer before investing in any type | | | | and ease of carrying in one's pocket or purse. |
| of coin collecting. | | | | One way to make sure your mini krugerrand is |
| Briefly, the South African krugerrand was the first | | | | genuine is to examine the "reeded" edge of the |
| one troy ounce gold coin that could be used as | | | | coin; there are certain numbers of these |
| legal tender at the market value of its face gold | | | | indentations on each genuine krugerrand. For |
| content. By law, krugerrands must be sold at | | | | example, a one-ounce krugerrand has 180 edge |
| premiums of no more than one percent above | | | | reeds. |
| the market price of gold at the time of sale. | | | | The one-half ounce mini krugerrand has 150 |
| Krugerrands were originally minted to encourage | | | | reeds, and the mini krugerrands of one-quarter |
| South Africans to own gold privately; several | | | | ounce and one-tenth ounce have 140 and 115 |
| countries followed suit with the U.S. Golden Eagle | | | | reeds, respectively. Fortunately, some thieves |
| and the Canadian Maple Leaf one-ounce coins. | | | | who attempt to make fraudulent mini krugerrands |
| By making the coin legal tender, one-ounce | | | | are lacking in knowledge about their "product" and |
| krugerrands and smaller mini krugerrands could be | | | | produce the number of reeds incorrectly. Thus, |
| owned by citizens of the United States, which at | | | | when you buy any size krugerrand on-line or from |
| that time prohibited private ownership of bullion | | | | a collector, doing your homework on how to |
| but allowed ownership of foreign coins. However, | | | | determine the genuineness of a coin is essential. If |
| due to the policy of apartheid in South Africa, the | | | | mini krugerrands appeal to you as an affordable |
| krugerrand was declared illegal to import in many | | | | investment in gold coins, there are many books |
| Western countries during the 1970s and 1980s | | | | available to help you as well as honest collectors. |
| until South African political reform from 1990 to | | | | Take your time, and don't be fooled! |