© Philip Coetzee
© Philip Coetzee
Medal - Dias 88 Festival Rio Dos Vaqueiros
1988 year| Copper | - | 28.50 mm |
| Location | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Type | Medals › Commemorative medals |
| Year | 1988 |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 28.50 mm |
| Thickness | 3.00 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Updated | 2024-11-13 |
| Numista | N#59741 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 78% |
Reverse
A Portuguese Caravel sailing ship representing Dias's ship, the São Cristóvão.
Script: Latin
Lettering: Dias 88
Edge
Plain
Comment
This medal is part of a set of four, commemorating the 500th Anniversary of Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias rounding the cape in 1488. They were issued as part of the Dias 88 festival in 1988, which also included the building of commemorative monuments in areas significant to Dias's voyage.Each of the four medals commemorates a different landmark on Dias's voyage. This one references his arrival at the Rio Dos Vaqueiros (River of the Cow Heards), now the known as the Gouritz River, in the Western Cape province of South Africa in January 1488.
Dias was the first known European explorer to reach the coast of South Africa.
