The Protea series commemorates various aspects and important events in the history of South Africa.  In 2005, a theme celebrating the "Nobel Peace Prize Winners of South Africa" commenced with Chief Albert Luthuli as the first of South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize winners.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu was featured on the 2006 Protea coins and the joint Nobel Peace Prize winners, Mr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and Mr Frederik Willem de Klerk will complete this theme in 2007.  An extra 1/10oz gold coin and silver R1 coin will be added to the set, allowing both winners to feature separately.  Therefore the series will consist of 5 coins in 2007.

Mandela's commitment to abolishing the onerous apartheid system became a symbol of the liberation struggle and in 1982 the Release Mandela Campaign was launched internationally. This international campaign, along with the military struggle and the internal defiance campaign, was so effective that the Nationalist authorities had to capitulate and begin discussions with the imprisoned Mandela about achieving a negotiated political settlement.

The ANC and other political organisations were un-banned in 1990. Mandela was unconditionally re-leased from prison on February 11 1990, after 27 years of incarceration. Mandela was elected president of the ANC in 1991.

On April 27 1994 Mandela led the ANC to victory in South Africa 's first democratic elections. On May 10 1994 he was inaugurated as State President at a ceremony in Pretoria .

President Nelson Mandela has taken his place alongside the great leaders of the world. He has received honorary degrees from mote than 50 academic institutions around the world. He was joint winner of the Unesco Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize with then-president FW de Klerk. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, again shared with De Klerk.

ARTIST  
Natanya van Niekerk – Assistant General Manager : Numismatics and Chief Artist at the South African Mint has designed the 2007 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 (R25), MJ Scheepers (R5 Mandela, R5 de Klerk & R1 Mandela) and AM Minnie (R1 de Klerk) engraved the reverse for the 2007 Protea coins.

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