designed in: 2014
commissioned: pitch at the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint)
material: nickel brass, gilt
size: 29 and 33 and 22,5 mm
weight: unknown
design: drawing, paper and carboard prototypes, computer modeling with Photoshop and Illustrator
execution: minting by Royal Dutch Mint
legend: GOD ZIJ MET ONS (god be with us)
finish: relief polished, field matted
edition: not executed
extras: special edition 5 and 10 Euro coins
credits: text design and layout by Dorothee Pape
This design made is for a special coin edition to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, The design is a commentary, a modern depiction of the statue of a lion with a cannonball, designed by Jean-Louis van Geel in 1815. His lion is fierce, showing teeth and claws, standing on an artificial hill, looking provocatively and menacingly towards enemy territory. The symbolic Dutch lion in the design is meant to cast a friendly and inviting gaze upon the world. The cannonball is now a (foot)ball or globe. The artist has portrayed the king on the obverse as strong, fair and friendly, much like the lion on the reverse. The portraits are in semi-profile and rise up from the field, with the back of the head incused. To achieve this, the field is slightly tilted, leaving the design on the left half of the coin under the surface and the right half above it.