This image shows a "Dias 88" Commemorative Medallion Set, which was issued in 1988 to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1488.The collection consists of four base-metal medals housed in a distinctive red folding folder. Each individual medal represents a different crucial landmark or event along his historic journey:1. Top Left: Lisbon (Lisboa) MedalMaterial/Color: Brass / Gold-tone.Details: This medal honors his departure from Lisbon, Portugal, in August 1487. It displays King John II of Portugal wishing Dias well before he set sail aboard his ship, the São Cristóvão.2. Top Right: São Gregório MedalMaterial/Color: Cupro-nickel / Silver-tone.Details: Marked "SÃO GREGÓRIO MARGO 1488", it commemorates the erection of the stone cross (Padrão de São Gregório) at Kwaaihoek (near the Bushman's River mouth in South Africa) in March 1488. It depicts his ship alongside the stone pillar monument.3. Middle Left: Aguada de São Brás MedalMaterial/Color: Cupro-nickel / Silver-tone.Details: Marked "AGUADA DE SAO BRAS FEVEREIRO 1488", it celebrates his arrival at the "Bay of Saint Blaise" (modern-day Mossel Bay, South Africa) in February 1488. It displays the historical Portuguese Royal Coat of Arms laid over a map of the Southern Cape coastline.4. Bottom Right: Rio dos Vaqueiros MedalMaterial/Color: Bronze / Copper-tone.Details: Marked "RIO DOS VAQUEIROS JANEIRO 1488", this represents his arrival at the Gouritz River (translated as "River of the Cowherds") in January 1488. The design illustrates the local Khoikhoi stock farmers and their cattle that Dias encountered on shore.Market Value & CollectibilityThese sets are quite common in South Africa and are mostly collected for their historical and sentimental interest rather than high financial worth. Because they are struck from base metals (not gold or silver), a complete set in its original booklet generally sells on secondary auction sites like Bob Shop for between R150 to R350 ZAR, depending on the crispness of the packaging and the condition of the medals.
Bartolomeu Dias was a famous Portuguese navigator who became the first European explorer to sail around the southern tip of Africa in 1488. His pioneering expedition proved that the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were connected, opening the first direct maritime trade route from Europe to Asia.The medals in the image are part of a South African Mint commemorative set issued during the "Dias 88" festival to honor the 500th anniversary of his historical journey.Key Achievements of His VoyageRounded the Cape of Good Hope: In January 1488, violent storms blew his fleet south into uncharted waters. After turning back north, he bypassed the African subcontinent entirely without realizing it. He initially named it the "Cape of Storms" (Cabo das Tormentas).Landed at Mossel Bay (Aguada de São Brás): In February 1488, Dias made his first landfall on the eastern coast of South Africa to replenish fresh water supplies. He named the spring Aguada de São Brás (The Watering Place of St. Blaise). This event is commemorated by the left silver-colored medal in your set.Erected Stone Crosses (Padrões): To officially claim territory for the Portuguese crown, he planted heavy limestone crosses along the coast. The right silver-colored medal represents the Padrão de São Gregório, which he erected at his furthest eastward point at Kwaaihoek in March 1488.Mapped the African Coastline: The other two medals in the set mark his starting departure point and initial milestones along the voyage, including observing the local Khoikhoi people (Rio dos Vaqueiros) in January 1488.Ultimately, his exhausted crew forced him to turn back before reaching India, but his charts laid the groundwork for Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India a decade later. An awesome piece of history to have
