New R2 coin in circulation

THE FINAL edition in the SA25, celebrating 25 years of democracy campaign has been coined in a newly designed R2 coin.

The South African Mint, an agency of the South African Reserve Bank, has announced the circulation of a new R2 coin.

This coin’s design is the result of a design competition held in 2019, and it depicts Section 12 in the Bill of Rights: Right to “Freedom and Security of the Person”. The “reverse” side depicts a mother and child walking freely in nature, symbolising the right to freedom and security.

“The daughter is holding a sunflower, which is magical in its ability to move its head toward the sun, resonant of the resilience, optimism and hopefulness of the young,” said the agency.

The winning design was submitted by a senior graphic designer from Pretoria, Esta Quirk, who chose to focus on Section 12 of the Bill of Rights.

The obverse of this R2 coin features the national coat of arms, together with the date of issue, 2020, and the words South Africa written in English and Sepedi/Sesotho.

Back in 2019, five new R2 coins were circulated:

• R2 ‘Children’s Rights’ by Neo Mahlangu;

• R2 ‘Right to Education’ by Neo Mahlangu;

• R2 ‘Environmental Rights’ by Maaike Bakker;

• R2 ‘Right to Movement and Residence’ by Rasty Knayles; and

• R2 ‘Freedom of Religion, Belief and Opinion’ by Peter Mammes.