SOUTH AFRICAN R2 NOTE FROM 1989 WITH SERIAL NUMBER GS9986124 IN FINE UNCIRCULATED CONDITION

A FINE OLD VAN RIEBEECK R2 BANKNOTE FROM SOUTH AFRICAS THIRD DECIMAL ISSUE OF BANKNOTES BETWEEN 1978-1990. THIS GS SERIAL NO NOTE WAS ISSUED IN 1989.

THE FRONT HAS VAN RIEBEECK LEFT, WITH POWERLINES TO THE RIGHT IN THE BACKGROUND. THE BACK HAS A SCENE SHOWING A PETROCHEMICAL PLANT, POSSIBLY SASOL IN SASOLBURG.
 
THE NOTE IS WRITTEN IN AFRIKAANS OVER ENGLISH. THE FRONT HAS THE SIGNATURE OF GERHARD DE KOCK THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR AT THAT TIME.
 
GS SERIAL NUMBER:
THE SERIAL NO GS9986124 INDICATED IT IS WAS PART OF THE THIRD ISSUE OF r2 NOTES WITH GERHARD DE KOCK SIGNATURE AND WERE PRINTED IN 1989 . ONLY 10 000 000 NOTES WERE PRINTED IN 1989. AS FAR AS R2 GO THIS IS NOT A LOT. IN SOME YEARS UP TO 350 000 000 WERE PRINTED.
 
SIZE: 120mm x 57mm
 
CONDITION: FINE UNCIRCULATED CONDITION
 
SHORT HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICAN DECIMAL RAND:
The South African Reserve Bank has been issuing banknotes for 100 years.
When it started issuing notes, the currency was still in UK pounds, which were later replaced by the rand at the start of the 1960s.
Since then, it has had seven issues of the banknotes.
In 1961, the rand was introduced on 14 Feb 1961, replacing the pound (1 rand being valued at 10 shillings), just months before South Africa left the Commonwealth to become a republic on 31 May 1961.
Between 1961 to 1991, the banknotes' front face had the face of Jan van Riebeeck, with the first issues carrying just his face. The later issues had various additional symbols accompanying his face, such as the protea, Cape Dutch Architecture, vines, the Voortrekker Monument, the Great Trek, Union Buildings, and the springbok.
The SARB's first banknote collection comprised four values: the R1 note, R2, R10, and R20. The second issue added a R5 note, while the third issue added an R50 note.
From 1992 to date, South Africa has had five banknotes with four editions. In 1994, the notes were written in African languages for the first time. They were previously limited to English and Afrikaans. 
Since 1961 when the rand was introduced in South Africa until 1982, the South African currency had a value higher than the dollar. After that it started to decrease as a consequence of international pressure, along with the sanctions against the country and is currently only valued at 6c to the US dollar.  
 

PLEASE ALSO SEE MY OTHER ITEMS LISTED. I HAVE A 1981 25 PENCE PRINCE CHARLES AND DIANA SPENCER COMMEMORATIVE COIN AND A 1977 QUEEN ELIZABETH II SILVER JUBILEE COMMEMORATIVE COIN ALSO ON AUCTION THIS WEEK. AS WELL AS A 1961 R20 SOUTH AFRICAN NOTE FROM THE FIRST JAN VAN RIEBEECK DECIMAL SERIES.