Alan Demby, executive chairman of the South African Gold Coin Exchange (SAGCE), says demand has exceeded last year’s enthusiasm by a "considerable margin" – a phenomenon he ascribes to the proximity of Madiba’s birthday to the World Cup.

"SAGCE’s range of Mandela-related coins and medallions* have the additional appeal of being affordable to all income groups," says Demby, who points out that sales have been buoyant at all the group’s 18 Scoin retail outlets throughout South Africa and Britain.

SAGCE will be contributing to the Mandela Day 67 minutes appeal by donating a gold coin to the CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation for it to be auctioned at one of CHOC’s upcoming fund-raising events.

Funds raised are applied to directly benefit of the children living with the illness and their families.

CHOC, which is not government funded, provides sanctuary to children living with cancer in a "home from home" establishment. CHOC has eight such houses across the country where families, especially those living in rural communities, can stay while the child obtains the necessary hospital treatment.

SAGCE has been a regular CHOC donor over the past couple of years, not only through donations of gold coins for auction but by donating a percentage of its sales of gold Scoin coins.

*SAGCE has the following range of Mandela coins/medallions available:
- Mandela 1oz 2004 Gold Coin
- Mandela 1/2oz Liberian Gold Coin 1994
- Mandela 5oz Nobel Peace Gold Medallion 2005
- Mandela 1/10oz Nobel Peace Gold Medallion 2005
- 1oz De Klerk/Mandela Medallion 2006
- 1/4oz De Klerk/Mandela M/Mark Coin 2007
- Mandela 90th Birthday 2oz Gold Medallion
- Madiba Collection Sets 2004
- Mandela Robben Island 5oz 2010 MM
- Mandela Robben Island Kilo 2010
- Mandela Robben Island 1oz Nobel Silver
- Mandela Robben Island 1/2oz 2009 Gold
- Mandela Silver Nobel Peace 2010