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Fall of the Berlin Wall 200 Euro Gold Coin From Monnaie de Paris

History

Built during the night of August 12-13, 1961, by the German Democratic Republic, the Berlin Wall (or “Wall of Shame” in West Germany) was made in order to stop people in East Berlin from escaping to the West. This division lasted for more than another 28 years, and the wall became the symbol of a Europe divided by the “iron curtain”.

Many people died trying to get across two 3.6 meter-high walls, all while avoiding 302 watchtowers and warning devices, 14,000 guards, 600 dogs and barbed wire up to the sky.

Following the weakening of the Soviet Union and the rebellion of East Germany, the wall was finally demolished on November 9, 1989. This eventually allowed for the reunification of the two Germanies. For those who lived through the events, the fall of the Berlin Wall remains fresh in their minds. Symbol of the ideological and political divide of the Cold War, the wall inspired many books and films. Museums are dedicated to its history. Nowadays, the Berliner capital-city still bears the scars of this “wall of shame”.

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the fall. To honor this historical milestone, the Monnaie de Paris has created a series of coins to be launched just before the Berlin Money Fair.

Classical Series Coins

Four classical series coin denominations will be launched on February 1, 2019: a silver Proof quality 10€ coin, a gold Proof quality 5€ coin, a gold Proof quality 50€ coin and a gold Proof quality 200€ coin. The coins have been designed by Mint artist Joaquin Jimenez.

Obverse:

The obverse of the coin shows the Brandenburg Gate, previously on the East side, crowned by the quadriga of the Greek goddess of Victory. It is one of the strongest symbols of the city of Berlin and of Germany as a whole. In the center of the coin, a soldier holding a rose goes through the wall as an allegory for the fall of the wall. “Berlin” is written in a grafitti tag fashion on the wall. Below the coin, “30 Jahre Mauerfall” is written, meaning “30 years of the Fallen Wall”. For this series, Monnaie de Paris innovates by offering a shaped coin with an optical illusion.

Reverse:

On the reverse, “30 ans de la Chute du Mur de Berlin 1989-2019” is written in a grafitti style honoring this major event as it is remembered visually by many people. The face value of 200 euros and the abbreviation “RF” (short for République Française) also appear. At the very bottom left is a cornucopia, the Monnaie de Paris mintmark. In a similar position on the opposite side is the mark of current Monnaie de Paris mint master Yves Sampo–a pentagon containing the letters AG, MP and YS.

The Designer

Designer Joaquin Jimenez has designed coins and medals for the Monnaie de Paris since 1986. His Starry Tree design serves as the national side of the French 1 and 2-euro circulating coins (View Designer’s Profile).

Coin Specifications

Country: France
Year Of Issue: 2019
Denomination: 200 Euro
Mint Mark: Cornucopia
Mintage: 500
Alloy: .999 Gold
Weight: 31.104 g
Dimension: 48 mm x 35 mm
Quality: Proof

 

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