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South Africa launches limited edition Mandela coins in birthday tribute
Former South African President Nelson Mandela smiles for photographers after a meeting with actor Tim Robbins at Mandela's home in Johannesburg September 22, 2005. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
18/07/2014
PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa launched a set of limited edition gold and silver coins on Friday to honour former president Nelson Mandela on what would have been the late anti-apartheid hero's 96th birthday.
The South African Reserve Bank said the set of three coins was a tribute to South Africa's first democratic president's "dedication to life-long learning".
The centrepiece is a 24 carat gold coin etched with Mandela's portrait with his arms folded, inscribed with his words: "Every where it is accepted that students... have the right to freedom of thought."
The second coin, also gold, shows an elderly Mandela over-looking his alma mater the University of Fort Hare -a blacks-only university and a hotbed of anti-government activity during apartheid.
The third is a sterling silver coin that depicts a young Mandela learning to write his name on his first day of school.
The United Nations designated July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day in 2009.
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