RSA (Pre-1994): Opening of the Cape Town Slave Lodge as a Museum

RSA (Pre-1994): Opening of the Cape Town Slave Lodge as a Museum

Form:

Circular

By:

Bill Davis / South African Mint

Date:

1966

Ref:

AM2: 386; Laidlaw: 1386;

Variations:

Size	Metal	Mass	Value
50 mm	Gold (9ct)	56.3 gm	$1,300
50 mm	Silver	57.8 gm	$75
50 mm	Bronze	47,4 gm	$25

Edge:

Plain.

Obverse:

The facade of the old Slave Lodge as it appears today, below: "1966". Legend, above: "(stop) S.A. MUSEUM (stop)", left: "CULTURAL HISTORY" and right: "KULTUURHISTORIES". Stop at the foot.

Gold medal stamped below date: "(springbok head) 9CT S (for 1966) S.A.M".
Silver medal stamped below date: "(lion head) STG S (for 1966) S.A.M".

Reverse:

In large letters, the: "VOC" monogram of the Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company. Letter: "C" above to designate the Cape. Legend below: " GEOPEN 6 APRIL (left) OPENED 6TH APRIL (right)".

Notes:

The set comes inside an oblong, blue, fitted cased lined on the inside with blue velvet-like and while silk-like material. On the inside for this medal set: "PROOF SET No. 7". Provenance: presented to Dr. Johannes Nicholas (Nico) Malan, administrator of the Cape Province.

AM2 record the the designer of the medals, Bill Davis, was a Cape Town sculptor.

The Slave Lodge was built in 1679. Apart from the Castle of Good Hope, it is the oldest surviving building constructed by the VOC. It housed some 500 slaves owned by the Company. Over the years it was extended and modified. With the dissolution of the VOC and the occupation of the Cape as a British Colony the Save Lodge became used for other civic purposes. In 1960 the building was restored and SA Cultural History Museum was opened there on 6th April 1966.