Blog series: Couples' Stories part 4.
by Françoise from association Les Amis de l’Euro.
More than 10% of the total 2 EUR coins feature two characters. This is an excellent reason to investigate the subject. Who are these couples? I won't go over all the coins with this type of design; it would be endless. So, I have made a selection, and I stand by it. This blog series is divided into four parts:
Colleagues
Dynastic Connections
Art
Two Truly Special Cases
Part 4. Two Truly Special Cases
Final segment in this four-part series on couples featured on euro coins contains an intriguing find and a personal favourite. The intrigue unfolds when the coin portrays a character and himself. The personal favorite was inspired by the remarkable audacity of the small Republic of San Marino.
A character and himself
The coin below, minted in 2020, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Charles de Gaulle and the 80th anniversary of the appeal of June 18, 1940. It depicts Charles de Gaulle in the foreground as the President of the French Republic (1959-1969) and in the background, Charles de Gaulle in military uniform, presumably during World War II. The profile of the character clearly shows the passage of years.
Image 1. “General Charles de Gaulle”, 2 Euro 2020, France. European Central Bank (ECB)
We therefore have two portraits of Charles de Gaulle on a single coin. It's a bit curious because this type of design generally lends itself to the presentation of two different people. But here, it's the same person who occupies the foreground and the background of the coin. What reinforces its interesting character is that Charles de Gaulle was already represented twice on 2 EUR coins: in 2010 in France, during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the June 18th appeal, where he is seen in uniform but bareheaded, reading the famous speech that would ultimately lead to the victory of the Allies and on the French and German coins of 2013, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty, as already mentioned in a previous article of this series.
Image 2. “Speech of June 18th 1940”, 2 Euro 2010, France. NumisCorner
Image 3. “Élysée Treaty”, 2 Euro 2013, France. NumisCorner
So, there are 4 coins representing Charles de Gaulle (France 2010, France 2013, Germany 2013, and France 2020), but with 5 portraits. A somewhat peculiar situation, intriguing enough to make me want to talk about it. And now, let's move on to the personal favourite.
Assassin and assassinated
San Marino minted the coin below in 2011. It pays tribute to Giorgio Vasari, born in 1511 and died in 1574, commemorating the 500th anniversary of his birth. Vasari was a painter but more famously known as an art historian. The 2 EUR coin depicts a scene from his painting 'Judith and Holofernes,' painted around 1554. The depicted scene is taken from the Old Testament: Judith, a young widow, assassinates the general Holofernes. The events are said to have occurred during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BCE.
Image 4. “Giorgio Vasari”, 2 Euro 2011, San Marino. NumisCorner
Image 5. “Judith and Holofernes" by Giorgio Vasari, Saint Louis Art Museum in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States. Image via WikipediaCommons
European painting of the 16th century is filled with various duos: traitor and betrayed, king and usurper, saint and sinner, lover and mistress, victor and vanquished, master and slave, and more. And so, it also includes the most extreme couple: assassin and assassinated.
Regarding Giorgio Vasari, one can certainly praise his talent, marvel at his pictorial culture, technique, choice of colours, encyclopaedic knowledge, and many other aspects. However, it remains that the scene he depicted is one of death: Judith is captured a split second before sending Holofernes from life to death.
Let us therefore applaud the audacity of San Marino, which dared to feature a murder scene on one of its euro coins. I think that's quite rare…
Written by Les Amis de l’Euro.
The article is provided by Les Amis de l’Euro. The French association established in 2003, has 1,300 members across Europe (among others) and a team of volunteer specialists dedicated to serving Euro collectors.
The Association has defined four objectives:
Information: Collecting as much information as possible about euro coins and banknotes and making it available on their website.
Engagement: Creating and maintaining connections among members, answering their questions, and managing a discussion forum.
Collection Management: Regularly updating an online catalogue, facilitating bulk orders for members to secure euros at favourable rates, and regularly issuing numismatic items featuring the association's insignia.
Representation: Thanks to the number and expertise of its members, the association represents collectors to the European Central Bank, the European Commission, and the press, among others. The association also participates in major French and international trade shows.
