A Large French Medal to Commemorate the Rivonia Treason Trial of Nelson Mandela in 1964. Made at the Paris Mint by medallist J. Coppin.
Obv: Bust of Nelson Mandela as a young man with beard facing front. Legend: "Nelson Mandela". Signed: "J. COPPIN" on the right with a bronze mark and the cornucopia mark of the Paris Mint.
Rev: A translation into French of Mandela's statement from the dock at the opening of the defence case in the Rivonia Treason Trial held in the Pretoria Supreme Court, 20 April 1964. His original words were: "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
Bronze with a bronzed finish. This is a large massive medal and the obverse design is in high relief. Diameter 71.8 mm. Mass 240 gm. In excellent condition. The bronze finish has worn off in places particulary on the high points. Small rim bump at 6 o'clock on the obverse.
This is a scarce medal. It is the only medal that I know of which depicts Mandela as a young man and the only medal that deals with this traumatic milestone in South Africa’s history. It should be rememberd that, at the time Mandela made his courageous speech, the final judgement could have been death for treason. As it was, Mandela and seven others (Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi, Andrew Mlangeni, Ahmed Kathrada and Denis Goldberg) were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
