The 2005 Protea coin series depicts the honourable Chief Albert Luthuli, the first South African to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Although christened Albert John he preferred his Zulu name Mvumbi, which means “continuous rain”. Chief Albert John Luthuli was the leader of millions of black Africans in their non-violent campaign for civil rights in South Africa . He was a man of noble bearing, charitable, intolerant of hatred and adamant in his demands for equality and peace amongst all men.
Supported by a mother who was determined that he got an education, Luthuli completed a teachers' course in 1917. On obtaining a scholarship he completed the Higher Teachers' Training Course at Adams College. In order to provide financial support for his mother, he declined a scholarship to the University College at Fort Hare, accepting an appointment at Adams, as one of two Africans to join the staff.

A professional educator for the next fifteen years, Luthuli then, and afterwards, contended that education should be made available to all Africans. In 1928 he became Secretary of the African Teacher's Association and in 1933, its President. As an adviser to the organized church, he became Chairman of the South African Board of the Congregationalist Church of America, President of the
Natal Mission Conference, and an Executive Member of the Christian Council of South Africa . On 11 December 1961 Luthuli was awarded the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize in Norway , Oslo. Luthuli, wearing a traditional chief's headdress, brought the audience to their feet by singing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika at the end of his acceptance speech. The next day he delighted students by throwing snowballs at them from the city hall balcony.

Frail and with failing hearing, Luthuli was killed in his home village, Groutville, by a train which he did not hear. He died on July 21, 1967 at the age of 69.

ARTIST  
Natanya van Niekerk – Marketing Manager and chief artist at the South African Mint has designed the 2004 Protea series.

ENGRAVERS  
The obverse design for the three coins was engraved by the South African Mint’s former chief die-engraver, AL Sutherland. N van Niekerk(R50&R1) and MJ Scheepers(R5) engraved the reverse for the 2004 Protea coins

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