German Snow White Euros

2012 marked the launch of a series of German euros commemorating the 200th anniversary of Brothers Grimm fairy tales. A new coin is scheduled to be appear each year until 2017. The first design featured a depiction of the brothers themselves.

The second issue was released on March 21, 2013. This €10 coin celebrates Snow White and was designed by Berlin artist Bastian Prillwitz.

The final artwork for the coin was selected from several potential candidates. Here's what the jury had to say about the winning piece:

The design portrays the main theme of the fairy tale, the beauty contest and the queen’s envy of the princess, without lapsing into cliché, and also leaves room for personal interpretations. By using the popular elements of the mirror, apple and dwarfs, the fairy tale is clearly identifiable.

The artistic design is clear in its composition of the individual illustrations, and the differentiated three-dimensional effect of the relief is impressive. The two sides of the coin are brought together by replicating the contours of the mirror’s frame in the outline of the eagle. Overall, the design is fresh and unconventional, and on the whole it convinced the jury more than any other design.

The Snow White euro was struck in both a copper-nickel alloy and in .625 fine silver, the silver version being a limited edition proof quality with a weight of 16g and a diameter of 32.5mm. The copper-nickel was produced in FDC quality and is available in German commercial banks at face value. Approximately 1.3 million coins in circulation.



The runner-up artist designs for the Snow White euro...

2nd place

3rd place

4th place

Additional images via Euro Hobby.