The 2008 Mandela 90th Birthday R5 is South Africa’s most-collected modern circulating commemorative — a bi-metallic 5-rand coin with Nelson Mandela’s portrait that pulled non-collectors into the hobby. It anchors the entire Mandela commemorative series. This entry covers specs, the design, and why graded examples lead the market.
Key facts
- Circulating commemorative issued 2008 for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday (KM# 439), struck by the South African Mint.
- Specs: bi-metallic — brass center in copper-nickel ring; 26.0 mm; 9.5 g; reeded edge with groove; edge lettering “SARB R5” repeated.
- Design: obverse South African coat of arms (post-2000 arms) with “Afrika Borwa • 2008 • Suid-Afrika”; reverse Mandela bust with “90 YEARS / 5 RAND”; microtext “SARB” repeated around the reverse rim.
- Graded examples (NGC/PCGS/SANGS) are the liquid form of this coin in the collector market (market observation, not a value claim).
Market check
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