South Africa has launched bank notes and gold coins to mark the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mendala’s birth.

The limited edition of these notes and coins will be used for the commemoration on July 18.

The South African Reserve Bank said on Friday that the notes portray Mandela’s life and his upbringing in rural Eastern Cape as the son of a chief.

Mandela spent 27-years in prison and helped in bringing apartheid to an end in 1994 when he became president.

The gold coin has a smiling middle-aged Mandela with his hair parted down the middle.

It was designed by Zimbabwe-born Sindiso Nyoni. He said “Growing up and living most of my life under a dictatorship, we were not able to experience this feeling of democracy that South Africans have.”

Series of events have been lined up to mark the occasion across the world. An annual Mandela Day lecture will be addressed by former U.S. president Barack Obama next week.

Nelson Mandela died in 2013 aged 95 and was globally celebrated.


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