R1, South Africa, 2018, Gold - Padloper

2018 R1 gold coin concludes the theme South African Reptiles on the 1/10oz 24ct gold coin which began in 2015 and featured the Nile crocodile, followed by the Cape dwarf chameleon in 2016 and the puff adder in 2017.

The coin features members of the Testudines order which is represented on the reverse of the coin by the parrot-beaked padloper (Homopus areolatus).

The parrot-beaked padloper is part of a group of five species of very small tortoise endemic to southern Africa, and its species ranges from 70g to 650g in mass, while their flat rectangular carapace can vary in length from 60mm to 165mm. It is found in the coastal fynbos and is restricted to the southern Cape. Its colouration is toffee brown with yellow, orange and green, and is similar to the rocks and soil of its habitat, but during the mating season, the nasal scales of the males change to a deep orange-red.

Reptiles of the Testudines order include turtles and terrapins and are characterised by a special skeletal or cartilaginous shell developed from the ribs that act as a shield.

Limited Edition: 105

Coin Specifications

Certificate of Authenticity

Each coin has a Certificate of Authenticity. The certificate describes the coin’s specifications, the year, the limited edition as well as a short description of the product. It also depicts the signature of the South African Mint’s Managing Director, Mr Andile Mvinjelwa. To prevent the duplication of a South African Mint product, the certificates are re-designed each year to include the coin design and each certificate is individually numbered according to the limited edition of the coin or set. As another security measure, the South African Mint’s logo, which is printed in transparent ink and only visible under ultra-violet light, features as part of the layout.