Today, on what would be Nelson Mandela’s 96th birthday, South Africa released a set of limited edition gold and silver coins in the former president and anti-apartheid hero’s honor.
The centerpiece of the set is a 24-carat gold coin featuring Mandela’s portrait and the words, “Every where it is accepted that students . . . have the right to freedom of thought.” The second coin shows Mandela in his later years looking over his alma mater, the University of Fort Hare; it is also made of gold. The final coin is made of sterling silver and shows Mandela as a young boy learning to write on his first day of school.
The collection is a tribute to the nation”s first democratic president’s “dedication to life-long learning,” says the South African Reserve Bank. In 2009, the United Nations designated today, July 18, as Nelson Mandela International Day.
Courtesy of Reuters Africa