The Geopolitical Collapse of the World's Most Famous Gold Coin

Why did Krugerrand production collapse from more than 6 million coins in 1978 to only around 111,000 by 1987? In this episode of The Curious Collector, we compare two genuine one-ounce South African Gold Krugerrands from my collection — a 1978 coin from the height of the Krugerrand boom and a 1987 example from a dramatically different period in its history. The coins may look remarkably similar, but the world around them had changed. During the 1980s, growing international opposition to South Africa's apartheid system led to sanctions and restrictions that sharply reduced international demand for Krugerrands. Production fell dramatically from the extraordinary levels reached during the late 1970s. We look at: • the huge production of Krugerrands in 1978 • the dramatic fall by 1987 • how international sanctions affected the market • why some Krugerrand dates are far scarcer than others • why scarcity, demand and value are not always the same thing Two coins. The same famous design. The same gold content. But two very different moments in history. Watch the first Krugerrand episode here:    • 15 Krugerrands. 40 Years. One Hidden Story...   Watch the full Gold Coins & Their Stories playlist:    • Gold Coins & Their Stories   Subscribe to The Curious Collector for more stories from the world of coins, paper money, gold and unusual collectibles. New videos explore the objects themselves — and the history behind them. #gold #goldcoins #preciousmetals #krugerrand #bullion #coincollecting #history