Owner Comments:
Joint Finest Known! (1/11)
Brown NGC Label.
Total Graded: 43
Mintage: 318
This coin was issued as part of the 2016 Protea - Life of a Legend (Justice) coin series, which continues a series of commemorative coins, "The life of a legend: Nelson Mandela". Introduced in 2013, a different chapter of Mr Mandela’s life is portrayed annually (his childhood in 2013, his education years in 2014 and his arrival and early years in Johannesburg in 2015). In 2016, the series focuses on Nelson Mandela as a young attorney and the concept of justice.
The Freedom Charter, adopted at the Congress of the People held in Kliptown on 26 June 1955, was a statement of core principles which called for democracy and human rights, land reform, labour rights, nationalisation and a non-racial South Africa. Many of the demands listed in the Freedom Charter were included in the 1996 Constitution of South Africa (the charter was commemorated on a silver R1 coin in 2017). The year 2016 also marks the 20th anniversary of the approval of the Constitution.
Nelson Mandela achieved his goal of becoming an independent practising attorney when, in August 1952, he and Oliver Tambo became business partners and opened "Mandela & Tambo Attorneys" in Chancellor House. This was the first African law firm in South Africa and represented clients from all over the country. It was during this time that Mr Mandela became increasingly active within the African National Congress (ANC), fighting segregationist and discriminatory laws. The sterling-silver R1 Protea coin represents the seven fundamental values of the Constitution of South Africa.
The 2016 sterling-silver R1 Protea coin depicts an African Lady Justice holding a balanced scale together with the seven fundamental values of the Constitution of South Africa, inscribed around the rim of the coin: DEMOCRACY, RESPONSIBILITY, EQUALITY, FREEDOM, RESPECT, DIVERSITY, and RECONCILIATION.
The value and denomination R 1 (One Rand) are above and to the right of the figure.
Under the scale, the initials of the die-sinker MJS (for MJ Scheepers); the design is by Lilian Guerra.
The obverse, common for all coins of the series in 2016, features Mr Mandela wearing one of his iconic Madiba shirts, underlined by a wreath made from South Africa’s national flower, the King Protea, and the date of issue 2016 divided by the portrait.
Above Mandela's shoulder, the initials of the die-sinker VLC (for VL Chipa); the design is by Lilian Guerra.
Around above, the legend SOUTH AFRICA.