1983 5DM COIN FROM WEST GERMANY
COMMEMORATING THE 500TH BIRTHDAY OF MARTIN LUTHER
This 5 Deutsche Mark (DM) commemorative ("Gedenkmünze") coin celebrates the 500th anniversary of the birth of the theologian, pastor, reformer, hymn-writer and Bible translator Martin Luther (1483-1546) from the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland/Federal Republic of Germany). The coin was issued by "West Germany" on November 10, 1983, seven years before reunification on October 3, 1990.)
Luther was born on November 10, the feast of Saint Martin, in Eisleben, Germany, the first-born son of Hans and Margarethe Luther, middle-class German peasants.
The coin was made from a copper-nickel alloy (hence the green patina of some badly-weathered examples) and weighs 10.00 grams. This coin has a diameter of 29mm and a thickness of 2.07mm. The coin was designed by Carl Vezerfi-Clemm of Munich, Germany. The Bundesbank/Landeszentralbank minted 350,000 proofs for collectors, made available to coin dealers and collectors encased in clear plastic bubbled sheeting ("folie"). They also minted 8 million coins for general circulation in paper rolls of 40 coins each.
This coin was used as legal tender in Germany until December 31, 2001, when it was replaced by the Euro (1 DM = approximately 0.51 Euros in May 2007).
The obverse design of this coin depicts a stylized portrait of Luther wearing his doctor of theology cap. The portrait is based on the famous 1529 painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), currently included in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Layered between Luther's face and his cap and robe is the wording (in old German Fraktur script) from the title-pages of three of Luther's most important works: his German translation of the Bible in 1534 ("Biblia / das ist / die gantze Heilige Schrifft"), his Catechism of 1529 ("Deutscher Katechismus"), and his 1520 treatise on the Freedom of the Christian Man ("Von der Freiheit eines Christenmenschen").
The obverse also includes the reformer's name as well as the year of his birth and death (1483-1546).
The reverse design (describe if flipped vertical or horizontal) includes a uniquely stylized German eagle of the BDR (the "Bundesadler"), the Karlsruhe mintmark "G," the year of issue (1983), and the words "BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND / 5 DEUTSCHE MARK".
These 5DM Luther commemorative coins (Gedankmuenzen/Gendanmünzen) were minted with the words taken from Psalm 119:89: "GOTTES WORT BLEIBT IN EWIGKEIT" ("God's Word remains forever") stamped around the rim.
Currently German coin dealers sell this coin for 4.50 Euros each (in uncirculated condition) and for 12.00-15.50 Euros each (in proof condition). This coin is often designated as J434, based upon the number given to it in the German Jäger (Jaeger) coin catalogue.
