SA Union: First National Flag for the Union of South Africa
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Form:
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Circular. Holed at 12 o'clock. for a ring to a stick pin
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By:
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Percy Metcalfe / Royal Mint Pretoria |
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Date:
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1928 |
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Ref:
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AM2: 211; Laidlaw: 0449;
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Variations:
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| Size | Metal | Mass | Value |
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| 28.0 mm | Aluminium | 3.8 gm | $8 |
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Edge:
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Plain.
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Obverse:
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Coat of arm of the Union of South Africa in front of two crossed flags on standards, British Union (left) South Africa (right). In an arc above: "UNIE DAG / 31 MEI" and below: "31 ST. MAY / UNION DAY". Signed at rim: "RM (left) P (right)".
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Reverse:
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Fasces symbol of the Union of South Africa in front of a floral wreath of proteas. Divided by the design, legend above: "S. AFRICA (left) S. AFRIKA (right)" and below: "19 (left) 28 (right). Signed at foot: "PM".
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Notes:
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The Balfour Declaration of 1926 declared the United Kingdom and her Dominions to be autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
A National flag for the Union thus became possible. The flag was adopted in 1927 and unveiled on Union Day (31st. May) 1928. The design was a compromise in that it retained a small British Union flag in the middle, in line with the old flags of the Orange Free State and the ZA Republic. The main design consisted of orange, white, and blue horizontal stripes. It was based on the so-called Van Riebeeck flag that was originally the Dutch flag.
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