TL;DR Breakdown
Mandela’s Arrest warrant’s NFT sold at auction.
Momint records another successful event.
The Apartheid years of South Africa saw the arrest and prosecution of many individuals. One of which was the arrest of a prominent anti-apartheid leader Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. On Saturday night, An NFT of an arrest warrant for the anti-apartheid activist was sold at an auction for over $130k. NFTs, which are digitalized forms of art based on blockchain technology, have recently experienced a high rate of adoption.
Nelson Mandela was arrested on August 5, 1962, in Kwazu-Zulu, the southeastern province of the country. He was charged with treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. 27 years later, He was released on the order of President F.W de Klerk due to domestic and international pressure and a looming racial civil war. In 1993, Mandela would later be elected as South Africa’s first democratic president.
Nelson Mandela’s Arrest Warrant NFT sale to fund Liliesleaf Museum
The Saturday auction was hosted by Momint, an online NFT marketplace. The Non-Fungible Token of the warrant was the most anticipated piece of the night – initially valued at a reserve price of $61,800. It was eventually sold for $130,550 to a resident of the United Arab Emirates.
“Proceeds for the Mandela NFT will go to Liliesleaf Museum, to keep their doors open and stay afloat”, Ahren Posthumous CEO of Momint told AFP on Sunday. Liliesleaf Farm and Museum is a cultural heritage site in South Africa. During the Apartheid struggle, Mandela is said to have lived on the farm disguised as a worker. In recent years, the Liliesleaf establishment, which houses the original arrest warrant dated 1961, has experienced some financial constraints leading to its closure in September 2021.
Another Successful NFT Auction for Momint
It’s worth mentioning that the most expensive item of the night was a Bored Ape token named “High Apener” which was bought for $287,000. That said, nine other art pieces were auctioned off between the price range of $3,762 and $17,100. A statement from Momint read “The event was a remarkable success, demonstrating the potential of the rise of blockchain technology to open a gateway to global markets for South Africa’s arts and culture industries”.
In all, Momint reiterates its commitment to serving as a platform for the promotion and sales of digital arts and artifacts across Africa, as this event comes just four months just after the South African-based company held its first NFT auction. The event was in November 2021 and garnered a lot of attention across the continent. Among the items sold was the NFT of a spy pen-gun owned by another apartheid fighter Oliver Tambo.
