JOHANNESBURG: CITY OF GOLD

South Africa, Johannesburg · 1986-09-25

Official

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front

Cachet: The cachet is a colour photograph showing molten gold being poured from a stone crucible into a rectangular mould, with the metal glowing bright yellow-orange and steam rising off the surface. The pour is captured mid-action, with light streaking across the image from the intensity of the heat. Above the photograph, "1886 - 1986" appears in black. Below it, "JOHANNESBURG" is printed in bold black capitals, followed by "Die Goudstad" and "The Golden City" in a gold script lettering.

Info card

JOHANNESBURG: CITY OF GOLD The year 1886 was a revolutionary one for the Transvaal Republic as well as for the whole of the subcontinent of Southern Africa. The quiet highveld countryside of the Transvaal was rapidly being transformed into a hive of activity as thousands of gold diggers and other fortune seekers streamed to the area known as the Witwatersrand. Gold was their quest. Although gold had been discovered in the Eastern Transvaal at Lydenburg and Pilgrim's Rest by 1873, the discovery of the richest gold reef at Roodepoort in 1886 was to change the shape of Southern Africa for ever. The resultant influx of people forced the government of the Transvaal to establish a new town called Johannesburg on the Witwatersrand. The "Golden City", the city with its streets paved with gold, or so some of the fortune hunters thought, was born. Johannesburg with its gold riches and the industrial and commercial development that followed soon became the financial and economic hub of the land and the saviour of the Transvaal, which was bankrupt at the time. So it is even to this day. Very little has changed, except the town, which soon became a city. Johannesburg, the "city with a heart of gold", is to this day still the financial and industrial heart of the Republic of South Africa. To many of the country's workers and workseekers Johannesburg is also the city of hope, of life. Yet it is not only in South Africa that Johannesburg occupies a unique place. It is also unique in that it is one of the few towns that survived and developed out of a gold rush. To many it is a concrete jungle, but to those who know it and live and work in it, it is a symbol of their pursuit of fulfilment as human beings and as a nation. JOHANNESBURG: STAD VAN GOUD Die jaar 1886 was 'n revolusionêre jaar vir die Transvaalse Republiek sowel as vir die hele subkontinent van Suider-Afrika. Die stil hoëveldse platteland van die Transvaal was vinnig besig om in 'n mierens van bedrywighede te verander soos duisende gouddelwers en ander gelukssoekers na die gebied wat as die Witwatersrand bekend gestaan het, gestroom het. Hulle was op soek na goud. Hoewel goud teen 1873 in die Oos-Transvaal by Lydenburg en Pelgrimsrus ontdek is, sou die ontdekking van die rykste goudrif by Roodepoort in 1886 die gedaante van Suider-Afrika blywend verander. Die gevolglike instroming van mense het die regering van die Transvaal verplig om 'n nuwe dorp genaamd Johannesburg aan die Witwatersrand te stig. Só is gebore die "Goudstad", die stad met sy goud-geplaveide strate, of so het sommige van die gelukssoekers geglo. Johannesburg met sy goudrykdomme en die industriële en kommersiële ontwikkeling wat gevolg het, het gou die finansiële en ekonomiese spil van die land geword en die redder van Transvaal, wat op daardie tydstip bankrot was. So is dit tot vandag toe. Baie min het verander, buiten die dorp, wat spoedig 'n stad geword het. Johannesburg, die stad met die hart van goud, is tot vandag toe steeds die finansiële en industriële lewensaar van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika. Vir baie van die land se werkers en werksoekers is Johannesburg ook die stad van hoop, van lewe. Dit is egter nie net in Suid-Afrika waar Johannesburg 'n unieke plek inneem nie. Dit is ook uniek as een van die min dorpe wat 'n goudstormloop oorleef het en daaruit ontwikkel het. Vir baie is dit 'n betonoerwoud, maar vir diegene wat dit ken en daar woon en werk, is dit 'n simbool van hulle strewe na vervulling as mense en as 'n nasie.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 25 September 1986 in Johannesburg, with a special postmark depicting mining headgear. It carries the South Africa Johannesburg centenary set, SAC 612 to 615, designed by Johan van Niekerk, which traces the city's history from its dusty gold rush beginnings through to its modern skyline. One genuine detail from the set's own history is that gold had already been found further east at Lydenburg and Pilgrim's Rest by 1873, well over a decade before the 1886 discovery at Roodepoort that actually triggered the rush and led to Johannesburg's founding. The stamps themselves move through this history in order, from the muddy prospecting camp through mining headgear and the modern city skyline to a final stamp showing gold bars ready for market.

Theme: Heritage

Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.89 (ZAR)

SAPO serial number: 4.18

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.