1/10 oz Krugerrand Gold Coin | Mixed Years

1/10 oz Krugerrand — 22 carat, unchanged since 1967

The Krugerrand was first struck on 3 July 1967. It is 22 carat — 916.7 fine — so a 1/10 oz coin weighs 3.393 g gross while containing 3.110 g of pure gold. The extra weight is copper, added to harden the coin.

These are mixed-year coins. The design has not changed since 1967, so a mixed-year piece is identical to a current one apart from the date — and usually costs less.

Specifications

Legal tender without a denomination

The South African Mint states plainly that Krugerrands are legal tender but carry no face value. Nothing is struck on the coin to say what it is worth; its value is the gold in it. Most bullion coins carry a nominal denomination well below their metal value — the Krugerrand simply does without one.

Obverse and reverse

The obverse carries the bust of Paul Kruger, president of the South African Republic — the same portrait used on the country's £1 and £½ gold coins and later the R2 and R1 pieces struck between 1952 and 1982.

The reverse shows a prancing springbok engraved by Coert Steynberg, an image first used on the five shilling coin of 1947.

Why the copper matters

A 1/10 oz Krugerrand holds exactly the same 3.110 g of pure gold as a 1/10 oz 999.9 coin. What differs is the alloy around it. The copper gives the coin its reddish tone and makes it harder, so it stands up to handling better than a soft four-nines coin. For anyone holding coins physically rather than in a vault, that is a practical point rather than a cosmetic one.

VAT and UK capital gains tax

HMRC treats a coin minted after 1800 as investment gold if it is at least 900 thousandths fine, is or has been legal tender in its country of origin, and normally sells at no more than 180 per cent of the open market value of its gold (VAT Notice 701/21A). The Krugerrand is 916.7 fine and South African legal tender, so it falls inside the exemption for investment gold.

Capital gains tax is separate. The UK exemption follows sterling legal tender, which covers Sovereigns and Britannias but not a South African coin. This is the published rule, not tax advice — your own position depends on your circumstances.

Questions buyers ask

Does 22 carat mean less gold? No. The coin contains 3.110 g of pure gold; it simply weighs more in total because of the copper.

Why is there no denomination on the coin? Because the South African Mint does not put one there. The coin is legal tender without a stated face value.

Can I choose the year? No. Mixed-year stock ships as available. Since the design has never changed, the only difference is the date.

Is it VAT free in the UK? It meets HMRC's tests for an investment gold coin. It is not exempt from capital gains tax.

Other sizes are on the Krugerrand gold coins page. Live quotes on the precious metals prices page.