Nelson Mandela's original arrest warrant sold as NFT fetches $130,000 in auction

Nobel Peace Prize awardee and former South African president Nelson Mandela's original arrest warrant that was coined as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) has raised $130,000 (roughly Rs. 99 lakh) in an auction sought to fund a heritage platform that affirms South Africa's struggle for democracy. According to Ahren Posthumus, the CEO of Momint, the marketplace for NFTs that sold the Mandela item, the proceeds from the sale of the NFT will be contributed to the Liliesleaf Museum Heritage Site, which received the original document in 2004 as a donation. 

Speaking on the NFTs during an interview, Posthumus stated that "This helps the museum site stay afloat.” He further added, “They have been badly affected by the lack of tourism due to Covid. So this is a way to revitalize their flow and keep history alive" reported CGTN Africa. The consumer of the NFT will avail complete access to the original paper at Liliesleaf Museum, Posthumus added. “The ink is visible through the paper” of the high-definition scan, he said as reported by CGTN. 

More about  Liliesleaf

Notably, Liliesleaf is one of South Africa’s leading national heritage sites. Between 1961 and 1963, Liliesleaf functioned as the secret headquarters and nerve center of the ANC, SACP, Umkhonto we Sizwe, and the Congress Alliance. On 11 July 1963, the police, operating on a tip-off, raided Liliesleaf and arrested the core leadership of the subsurface freedom movement. Following the raid, ten people were put on trial to face charges of 193 counts of sabotage against the state. Nelson Mandela, who was already serving a prison sentence at the time of the raid, became Accused Number 1. Today, Liliesleaf is a dwelling place for special exhibitions that tell the story of the expedition to democracy in South Africa. Liliesleaf is more than just a national heritage site; it is also a site of remembrance that keeps the history of our liberty alive.

Nelson Mandela's struggles

It was believed that Mandela, while spearheading South Africa’s struggle for independence, was halted on several occasions and stood trial four times. Mandela was arrested in 1962 for conspiring to overthrow the White-minority government. He spent over 27 years in prison. He anyways appeared from the lengthy detention to become the country’s first black president in 1994.

(Image: AP)