As South Africans approach late President Nelson Mandela's 96th birthday, an auction is gearing up to sell memorbilia of the anti-apartheid icon this Thursday.
Officials at the Stephan Welz auction company say more than 200 lots linked to Mandela will be up for bids, including many items signed by the former president.
Items inlcude everything from ink prints of Mandela's hands to photos of the world leader alongside late pop star Michael Jackson.
Mandela made the handprints at the request of his granddaughter, Ndileka. Organizers say no copies were made from the original prints they estimate are worth up to $28,000.
Other items include signed photographs of Mandela preparing to vote and a comic book series focusing on his life.
Organizers say the entire collection is valued at more than $400,000. Some of the auction proceeds will go to two charities.
Some information for this report comes from AFP.
