RSA (Pre-1994): World Boxing Heavyweight Tile Fight - John Tate vrs. Gerrie Coetzee
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Form:
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Circular with attached lug
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By:
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P.B (?) |
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Date:
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1979 |
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Ref:
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Laidlaw: 0355;
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Variations:
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| Size | Metal | Mass | Value |
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| 36.5 mm | Nickel plated Base metal | 29.1 gm | $7 | | 37.6 mm | Bronzed base metal | 25.7 gm | $5 |
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Edge:
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Plain.
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Obverse:
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Bare head of Coetzee, left. Signed: "P.B" on the truncation. Legend on a raised band above: "OKT 1979 WERELD BOKS S/GEWIGTITEL" and below between stops: "GERRIE COETZEE V/S BIG JOHN TATE".
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Reverse:
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Bust of Tate wearing cap, half right. Signed: "P.B" on the truncation. Legend on a raised band above: "OCT 1979 WORLD BOXING H/WEIGHT TITLE" and below between stops: "BIG JOHN TATE V/S GERRIE COETZEE".
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Notes:
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The World Boxing Association’s heavyweight title fight, held on Oct. 20, 1979 took place in Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa. The fight was between the African-American, John Tate, and the white Afrikaner, Gerrie Coetzee, for the title vacated by Muhammad Ali when he retired. It attracted major attention given that the venue was South Africa in apartheid time. Tate won a decision over 15 rounds. Coetzee eventually won the title in 1983.
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