Five Rand 2019 Constitutional Democracy, Coin from South Africa - detailed information

The obverse shows the Coat of Arms of South Africa in the central (brass) circle; below that in small letters, the designer's initials ALS (for Arthur L. Sutherland).

Around the outer ring of the coin, divided by the date · 2019 ·, is the legend "South Africa" written in three of the eleven official languages of the country: Afrika Borwa · Aforika Borwa (the former inscription is in Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho, the latter in Tswana).

The reverse of the coin illustrates South Africa’s constitutional democracy and shows a line of people waiting to cast their vote. It also features the words LET US LIVE AND STRIVE FOR FREEDOM, which originate from the national anthem of South Africa. The typography of the inscription, designed by Garth Walker, unifies the reverses of all coins of the series.

This design by artist Lady Skollie portrays the famous images of voting polling stations in 1994, when the nation attained its independence.

Below, the value and denomination 5 RAND (Five Rand). Above that on two lines, the anniversary dates 1994 - 2019.

To the left of the value 5, in small letters the die-sinker's initials MJS (for MJ Scheepers). The abbreviation SARB (South African Reserve Bank, the issuer of the coin) is repeated as an ornament 15 times around below left and 15 times around below right.

About the coin creators, the South African Mint says the following:
"Durban-based artist and reverse typographer, Garth Walker, whose interest lies in asking “what makes me African - and what does that look like?” got his start as a graphic designer in the mid-1970s. Today, he is the proud founder of two established design studios and his work is represented in esteemed collections, galleries, universities and libraries across the globe - from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to The Smithsonian. In 1995 he self-published his experimental studio magazine iJusi, and he continues to publish work in numerous books and magazines today. Walker is a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale, British D&AD and a Life Member of The Type Directors Club (NY)."

"Being of San descent, Lady Skollie’s art education began when her mother enrolled her in the Frank Joubert Art Centre. Although classically trained, Skollie quickly deviated from the traditional art scene and took to promoting her work via social media.

Presently, Lady Skollie uses ink, watercolour and crayon to defy the taboo and talk openly about issues of sex, pleasure, consent, human connection, violence, and abuse. As both an artist and an activist, her work carries the unmistakable tenors of both the bold and vulnerable. Her aim in her work is to express the joy and darkness of the erotic and the duality of human experience, interwoven with her identity politics. "

Note: On the South African Mint web site, as well as on the SA25 coin series web site, the artist is credited as "Lady Skollie" which is her artistic pseudonym; however, on the cover of the coin sets that contain the coin, she is identified by her "birth" name LM Windvogel (Laura Windvogel ).