Five Rand 2008 Nelson Mandela, Coin from South Africa - detailed information

The obverse of the coin displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa at its centre, as adopted on Freedom Day 27 April 2000.

The Coat of Arms is a series of elements organised in distinct symmetric egg-like or oval shapes placed on top of one another. The completed structure combines the lower and higher oval shape in a symbol of infinity. The path that connects the lower edge of the scroll, through the lines of the tusks, with the horizon above and the sun rising at the top, forms the shape of the cosmic egg from which the secretary bird rises. In the symbolic sense, this is the implied rebirth of the spirit of the great and heroic nation of South Africa.

The motto in the semicircle around below, ǃKE E꞉ ǀXARRA ǁKE, is written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite".

Below the Coat of Arms, the initials of the engraver: ALS (for Arthur Sutherland).

Around left, the name of the country in Sepedi/Sesotho (Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho): Afrika Borwa; around right, the name in Afrikaans: Suid-Afrika.

Around above, the date of issue: 2008.

The centre of the reverse shows the bust of Nelson Mandela, quarter right, smiling, wearing one of his iconic Madiba shirts.

To the left of the figure, in small letters the designer's initials NvN (for Natanya van Niekerk).

Above, in the outer rim of the coin, 90 YEARS.

The numeral of the value, 5, is to the right of the portrait; the denomination RAND is around below.

Repeated in microtext 32 times around left and 29 times around right is the abbreviation SARB, for South African Reserve Bank - the issuer of the coins.