10 South African Rand Banknote (Van Riebeeck 1978 Issue)

10 Rand (Issued 1978-1993)

The South African Reserve Bank anchors its identity firmly on this ten rand note through the dual inscription “Suid-Afrikaanse Reserwebank” and “South African Reserve Bank”, reflecting the bilingual character of the institution during the apartheid era. Issued across a remarkably long period from 1978 to 1993, this note formed part of the second series introduced from 1976 and circulated widely throughout South Africa’s economy during a turbulent period in the country’s history. The ten rand denomination served as an everyday transactional note, making it one of the most commonly handled pieces of currency during its years in circulation. It was officially withdrawn and is no longer legal tender in South Africa today.

On the front, the dominant feature is an engraved portrait of Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch colonial administrator who established the first European settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 and whose image became a defining symbol on South African currency throughout much of the twentieth century. The portrait is rendered in fine intaglio engraving with exceptional detail, showing van Riebeeck facing slightly to the right, wearing a period lace collar and dark clothing characteristic of seventeenth-century Dutch fashion, with shoulder-length dark hair and a neat moustache and chin beard. The overall colour palette of the front is a cool, medium green, applied across the background in intricate guilloché patterns that fill the margins on both left and right sides with dense, repeating lace-like rosettes. To the left of centre, the large numeral “10” is printed in bold green at the top left corner. Across the lower central portion of the note, the denomination text is rendered in large, ornate interlocking lettering reading “TIEN TEN” on one line and “RAND” on the second, in a stylised block typeface with fine internal line-work. The serial number “C4 66 702862” appears twice — once in the upper right area and once below the central denomination text at the lower left — printed in dark green. The promise to pay text appears in both Afrikaans and English, reading “EK BELOOF OM AANVRAAG TE BETAAL AAN TOONDER TE PRETORIA TIEN RAND” and “I PROMISE TO PAY THE BEARER ON DEMAND AT PRETORIA TEN RAND”, followed by the attribution “VIR DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE RESERWEBANK / FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK”. The roles of “PRESIDENT” and “GOVERNOR” are printed beneath a cursive signature, which appears to read in the style of Gerhard de Kock, who served as Governor of the South African Reserve Bank. The word “PRETORIA” is printed to the left of the signature line, indicating the place of issue. A small floral or protea-like emblem in a warm golden-orange tone appears near the signature area, providing a subtle colour contrast against the dominant green. The note’s borders on both vertical edges feature elaborate guilloché columns, and the overall paper has a slightly off-white ground beneath the green print.

The reverse is dominated by a large, finely detailed intaglio engraving of a Cape buffalo — a massive, dark-coated bull facing left — standing prominently in the centre-right portion of the note. Beside it, partially overlapping, is a Merino sheep rendered in similarly precise engraving detail, its thick woolly fleece clearly depicted. These two animals together represent South Africa’s agricultural and wildlife heritage, with the buffalo symbolising the country’s wild fauna and the Merino sheep representing its important wool-farming industry. Behind the animals, the background carries a distant, flat-topped landscape silhouette — likely a reference to the distinctive mesa formations of the South African interior or Cape regions — rendered lightly against a pale sky. To the left side of the reverse, a vertical panel contains a column of guilloché diamond and lozenge shapes stacked centrally, flanked by further ornate geometric border patterns extending along the left edge. The numeral “10” appears in a dark square block at the upper left corner of this panel. Along the right side and upper margins, subtle botanical illustrations of wheat and grape clusters are faintly visible, referencing South Africa’s farming landscape. The colour scheme of the reverse transitions through grey-green, olive, and soft purple tones, with the animal engraving rendered in deep, rich dark green ink that gives the composition considerable weight and visual authority.

Sell foreign coins and banknotes the simple way: this 10 Rand banknote can be exchanged through Webuyallcurrency.com together with other old or withdrawn South African Rands banknotes, all settled in a single transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 10 Rand Rand banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

From leftover holiday money to inherited collections, Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange or buy your South African Rands banknotes and other foreign currency, handling old and withdrawn pieces in the same simple process.

Other South African Rands you can exchange: 1, 2, 5, 20, 50, 100, 200.