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The Mint of Norway initiated in 1998 an agreement with the Norwegian Nobel Institute to develop an exclusive series of medals featuring earlier winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. Each issue is approved by the winners personally or their organization.
The series is based on donating a percentage of the proceeds to a charity chosen by the winner personally, and to the Norwegian Nobel Institute and its work for peace. A total number of 20 medals has been issued in the series, and of these proceeds a considerable amount has already been donated to earlier laureates, their closest relatives or their organizations. Mikhail S. Gorbachev, Andrei S. Sakharov, Oscar Arias and Menachim Begin may be listed among others.
During the last two - three years, there has been a growing interest for the medal series especially in South Africa related to the laureates Nelson Mandela and Frederick W. de Klerk, their work for peace and the Nobel Peace Prize they received together in 1993. In 2006 Mint of Norway, in co-operation with the local agent in Johnnesburg, The South African Gold Coin Exchange, produced and sold a considerable amount of gold- and silver medals portraying Nelson Mandela and Fredrik W. de Klerk.
The medals sold in 2006 are in 1 oz gold with a diameter of 32 mm, 12 oz gold with a diameter of 80 mm and 1 oz sterling silver with a diameter of 39 mm.
In connection with an arrangement at the Nobel Institute on Monday 12 February, we are very pleased to hand over a cheque on the amount of 500.000 Norwegian kroner to the Managing Director of the Nobel Institute, Geir Lundestad. The amount is based on the proceeds from the sales of medals in South Africa, and an identical amount will in the near future, be divided between the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Frederick de Klerk Foundation.
Hitherto the sales of the medal series has given a total contribution of 2.2 million Norwegian kroner to the laureates and the Nobel Institute since the series started in 1998.
Above: Magne Flågan Managing Director (right) and Kjell Wessel, Sales and Marketing Manager (middle) of the Mint of Norway hand over a cheque to Geir Lundestad the Managing Director of the Nobel Institute (left).
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