South Africa Currency 100 Rand Commemorative banknote 2018
Nelson Mandela Centenary 1918 - 2018
South African Reserve Bank
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has issued the release of limited edition commemorative banknotes in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy, celebrating the liberation icon’s centenary in July 2018, which look to show “the journey of a nation as of the man”. The honorary ‘randelas’ are an ode to the former president’s struggle saga, which ultimately led to the liberation of South Africa and an end to apartheid oppression. Different imagery has been designed for each of the five notes, which look to chronologically “tell the story of Mandela’s life from a young boy through to president of South Africa”.Obverse: An image of Nelson Mandela, considered by most South Africans (both black and white) to be the father of the post-apartheid new South Africa. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, and described as the "Father of the Nation". Despite spending 27 years in jail, Mandela's presidency (1994-1999) was marked by a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness.
The denomination of the bank note in the lower-right-hand corner, printed in a special, colour-changing security ink that carries the pattern of Mandela’s famous shirts, and a seven-bar circle that frames Mandela’s portrait image. This aims to represent the bars seen on the post-apartheid South African national flag, and the seven bars on the door of Mandela’s prison cell at Robben Island. These bars also contain ultraviolet (UV) light technology, another security feature. At the top are the name of the bank in English "South African Reserve Bank". The face value of the banknote in arabic numerals "100" at left center and on the right of the portrait of Nelson Mandela along the bottom side of the note, and in words: in English "ONE HUNDRED RAND" along the right side of the banknote. A commemorative inscription "Mandela Centenary 1918 - 2018" along the right side of the bank note.
Signature: Lesetja Kganyago - Governor of the South African Reserve Bank. Coat of arms of the Republic of South Africa at upper left. The African buffalo on the background at center. Across all field of banknote an ornament and Prehistoric fishing scenes. A commemorative inscription "Mandela Centenary 1918 - 2018" at right.
Reverse: A "youthful" portrait of Mandela dressed in traditional attire.
The vignette of the life events of Mandela - "Struggle" - Robben Island.
A pile of rocks on Robben Island, where the great liberator was imprisoned from 1964–1982.
Mandela spent 18 years on the stark island, working in a lime quarry, busting rocks as part of his forced labour. While on the island, he was permitted one visit and one letter every six months.
While enduring physical and psychological torture at the hands of white warders, at night he persevered with his studies for an LLB degree which he was obtaining from the University of London.
In April 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Tokai, Cape Town.
The bank's name South African Reserve Bank are translated into two official South African languages: iBhangle Lombuso laseNingizmu Afrika (Zulu) and Banka ya Risefe ya Afrika Borwa (Sotho). A commemorative inscription "Mandela Centenary 1918 - 2018" at right and "Madiba" at left.
Watermark: Portrait of Nelson Mandela and electrotype 100.
Size: 146 × 70 mm.
Printer: South African Bank Note Company Ltd, Pretoria.