Mandela's Hands Cast artifacts on sell!

According to the IN, Arbitrade-a Canadian coin and cryptocurrency exchange, has used bitcoin to purchase a set of three solid gold artifacts associated with Nelson Mandela. The sale was finalized at this year’s PDAC convention in Toronto, and the sale was announced. In addition to the solid gold hand and fist, the collection also includes a palm impression of Mandela’s right hand.

 

Prior to the sale, Malcolm Duncan, the collection’s owner, estimated that the artifacts were worth up to US$13 million, and expected to be able to sell the set for between US$6 and US$10 million. After going up for sale in January, a unique collection of gold artifacts associated with former South African president and activist Nelson Mandela has been sold for US$10 million.

 

According to the Harmony Gold Mining Company Calgary Man to Sell the Only Solid Gold Replicas of Nelson Mandela's Hands Cast During His Lifetime. The artifacts were cast in 2002, 12 years after Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

 

Malcolm Duncan, who knew Mandela, said that Harmony's intention was to make one full set of gold artifacts consisting of a fist, a full hand and a palm impression of Mandela's right hand, for each of the 27 years Mandela spent behind bars.

 

Mr. Duncan knew Mandela having contributed to a breast cancer clinic which Nelson Mandela had opened in Soweto. He was given the opportunity to buy the valuable gold artifacts as long as he donated an equal sum to charity appointed by Mandela. Malcolm donated the specified amount through Harmony Gold to a charity.

 

He purchased the sets dedicated to 1964 and 1990, marking the year Nelson Mandela was incarcerated and the year he walked out of the Pollsmoore prison gates a free man.

 

Of the 27 planned sets of gold artifact, each representing one year of imprisonment, only one complete set representing 1990, was cast by Harmony Gold. An incomplete set for 1964 also exists, however, it only consists of a hand and a fist. Malcolm is in possession of the complete 1990 set and the 1964 fist. The 1964 hand was retained by Mandela's lawyer who subsequently put a halt to the future sales of numerous pieces of art that capitalized on Mandela's name.

 

The hands, however, have never been available for sale to the general public and Malcolm obtained them only through a sizeable donation to a charity handpicked by Mandela.

 

The gold casts in Malcolm Duncan's possession are protected in elaborate boxes with brass plaques confirming the weight and purity of the gold. The set of 3, representing 1990, weighs almost 20 lbs and is 99.99% solid gold. The 3 boxes contain plaques with identical essays describing the momentous events of that year when Mandela was released from prison, while the 1964 boxes have plaques with essays describing his Rivonia trial.

 

The artifacts come complete with a letter of authenticity from Harmony Gold. Obtaining it was no mean feat. After extensive communication, Malcolm was able to get the management at Harmony Gold to go back in their records 15 years prior and issue a letter that unequivocally states that the hands were cast by Harmony Gold, that they were made with Mandela's full knowledge and cooperation while he was alive and that they are indeed the only ones ever produced.

 

  • Mandela's Hands Cast  artifacts on sell!