Coining it for charity and to honour Mandela’s centenary

THE South African Mint, a subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank, is proud to announce two new coins which pay tribute to one of the most outstanding figures in South African public life and one of the key political architects of present-day South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

This year marks a century since the birth of Nelson Mandela and the mint has produced a coin range to commemorate it.

The coins, a bronze alloy and sterling silver honouring the global icon of hope, will be available from today and can be bought from the South African Mint’s retail store in Centurion, Elegance Jewellers in Melrose Arch and pop-up stores in malls countrywide (visit www.samint.co.za for details).

The bronze alloy coin is priced at R127 and tells its own tale, says Tumi Tsehlo, MD of the South African Mint. “Pricing the coin was a conscious tribute to Nelson Mandela’s legacy and our way of paying it forward. To celebrate 100 years since his birth, and in remembrance of the 27 long years he spent in prison, the entrylevel bronze alloy coin is priced at R127. With every coin purchased, R27 (VAT-free) will be donated to the Nelson Mandela Foundation”. The coins portray Madiba through the years. The R50 bronze alloy depicts him as a young lawyer and the R50 sterling silver coin as he looked later, as the country’s first democratic president. Born a century ago, Nobel Peace laureate Mandela was a leading figure in South Africa’s fight against apartheid rule. The new coins are the second installation in the “Celebrating South Africa” theme, through which the Mint celebrates milestones and symbols of South Africa’s freedom, democracy and culture. The first coin series in this theme was the 2017 ORTambo Centenary range. The two collectable coins are each packaged in “coin blister” envelopes which bear endearing images of Mandela over the years. According to the South African Mint, the purpose of the series “Celebrating South Africa” is to educate and provide a historical perspective on Struggle icons without whose efforts, bravery and self-sacrifice the fight against minority rule would not have been sustained. The inaugural coin in the range featured Mandela’s comrade-in-struggle OR Tambo and was launched during his birth centenary last year. “South Africans must never forget her heroes who stood up against injustice and inequality to usher in a new era of freedom and democracy. “We hope their stories will continue to be told and heard every time someone holds a Madiba or Tambo commemorative coin,” adds Tsehlo. “Collectability is a function of craftsmanship, quality and theme, among other personal preferences. The Mandela series no doubt ticks all the boxes and will be an amazing addition to any collection, not only because of its design but also because of the enduring value of the theme. “We will soon be announcing new products in the Mandela Centenary range that will far exceed the expectations of both numismatics and aficionados and add value to their collections.” Nicolle Kairuz South African Mint