A South African Mint Company 2003 special 1-oz proof Krugerrand has been minted 2,100 feet underground at De Beers’ Premier Mine to mark the centenary of the mine and the village of Cullinan near Pretoria. A limited edition of only 500 of these Krugerrand proof coins bearing the mintmark of a diamond will be made available to collectors and the public.

Speaking at the ceremony De Beers managing director Gary Ralfe, said history was again being made at Cullinan which first achieved international fame with the discovery of the ‘Cullinan Diamond’ in 1905.

“To our knowledge this is the first time that any mint coin has been struck underground at this depth,” Ralfe said. “This adds to the uniqueness of this Krugerrand and will, no doubt, make it very attractive to collectors.”

Premier Mine is the only mine in the world where diamonds are mined, cut, polished, and designed and set into jewelry.

The Premier Mine and Cullinan centenary celebrations began in December 2002 with the opening of a ‘diamond hub’ at Cullinan by former President Nelson Mandela. The centenary celebrations continue until November this year.

JCK