Sun City
Bophuthatswana, Sun City · 1980-12-06
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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front
This cover is postmarked on 6 December 1980 in Sun City, marking the first anniversary of the resort's opening. It carries the Bophuthatswana Sun City tourism set, SAPO [number to confirm], four stamps designed by Pieter Roos depicting the Sun City Hotel and Country Club, the Gary Player Country Club golf course, the casino and the resort's stage extravaganza. Sun City officially opened on 7 December 1979, and its location within the nominally independent territory of Bophuthatswana allowed it to offer gambling and entertainment that were banned under South African law at the time, a factor that contributed significantly to its early popularity. The golf course pictured on the 10c stamp remains one of Gary Player's signature designs and continues to host major professional tournaments today.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is a colour photograph set within an oval frame, showing a resort scene at Sun City with a woman relaxing on an inflatable float in the pool, sipping a drink, palm trees and a terraced hotel building visible behind her. The image has a warm, sun-soaked holiday feel typical of tourism brochure photography from the period. Below the photograph, the "Sun City" logo appears alongside the words "Hotel · Casino · Country Club / Bophuthatswana".
Information Card
SUN CITY PLEASURE PARADISE AND PILANESBERG NATIONAL PARK Now there is a pleasure paradise set in the heart of Africa with every conceivable facility at your command, Sun City. Be it business or pleasure, conferencing for 10 or 500, chancing your luck at the sophisticated casino, 18 holes on the superb Gary Player Golf Course, spectacular shows and international superstars or viewing the wildlife of Africa, this is where it all happens. This plush oasis near the Pilanesberg in Bophuthatswana, which is a world of contrasts from the untamed beauty of Africa to the pulsating ultramodern fun-style of Sun City, is only a 2½ hour drive or a 30 minute flight from Johannesburg! The entrance to this pleasure paradise is a spectacular fantasy set where people come from far and wide to experience a unique world. Observation lifts shoot up and down, bells ring, lights flash and money pours out of 250 slot machines! The fun fantasy begins as you walk in. Surrounding the lobby is an exclusive arcade of boutiques, a curio shop as well as a bank for the convenience of guests. Suspended above this exciting space-age foyer is the floating Auqarius Cocktail Bar. Name your game and take your chances in a casino of unequalled elegance. Black jack, American Roulette, Punto Banco and Chemin de Fer are the names of the games and for the high rollers there is even an exclusive Salon Privé. Convention, conference, banquet or seminar, this is the most modern centre in Southern Africa with every conceivable audio-visual aid at your disposal. Sun City has fully equipped projection rooms and whether it be a conference for 10 or 500 or both at the same time, it can be arranged. The international convention management team at Sun City are highly experienced and their professionalism will make your business a pleasure. The business banquets at Sun City are fit for royalty. There are restaurants like the Silver Forest where classical French cuisine is at its best, the Calabash where the atmosphere is casual and the menu à la carte, Raffles for disco, and the Supper Club, or the Sun Terrace for breakfast or lunch buffet. A visit to the quiet untamed wilderness of the Pilanesberg National Park, a fully-stocked game park where the last of the wild animals of Africa roam free and abundant, is a must. You will come for the sun and stay on for the Sun City fun. What you cannot do at Sun City cannot be done.
Theme: Other
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Estimated value: ~US$0.1
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 248 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
