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The German Federal Government has released 20-euro commemorative coins which mark the 100th anniversary of the Weimar Constitution, the era in which the German Republic immediately followed the abolition of the Imperial German government and which saw the dissolution of the various German kingdoms, grand duchies, principalities, and free states (as in the case of Hamburg and Frankfurt). These former royal holdings, after the formal abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on the 9th November 1918 came together under a single republic and were governed by the country’s new assembly, which sat for the first time on the 6th February 1919 in the city of Weimar, Germany. The introduction of the republic and abdication of the emperor was the result of the 1918 Revolution, which came about with the loss of the Central Powers during the Great War. The transition from monarchy to a republic and the legitimacy of state power through the principle of popularly elected representatives was finalised by the time the new assembly met for the first time.
The new republican constitution declared Germany to be a democratic parliamentary republic with a legislature elected under proportional representation with universal suffrage also being made legal and with a minimum voting age of 20. The Weimar Constitution was divided into two main parts which were divided into seven sections and five sub-sections, respectively, with over 180 articles in total. The republic’s first president, Friedrich Ebert (1871–1925), signed the new German constitution into law on the 11th August 1919. New federal elections were held in Germany for the first time on the 6th June 1920 and in line with the rules of the Weimar Constitution.
The coins are struck at the Federal State Mint in Berlin, which includes the “A” mintmark on the reverse side to denote their location’s production. The design of the coin is the work of artist Frantisek Chochola from Hamburg. At the centre on the obverse is a circle with a colour application of Germany’s three-colour flag, consisting of three horizontal stripes of the same proportions of black, red, and gold and which was initially introduced by the Weimar Constitution. The colours of black, red, and gold represented the colours of the centrist, republican, and democratic political parties, who came together to form the new republic. The primary design is surrounded by text from the Constitution’s first article, which states that Germany is a republic governed by the consent of the people. The commemorative years of 1919 and 2019 are placed closest to the centre design.
The reverse side includes a stylised eagle centred, the lettering BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND, the face value of 20 EURO, and the year of issue. The mintmark “A” of the Berlin State Mint, as well as the 12 stars of the European Union, complete the design. The indication of SILVER 925 is imprinted below the eagle.
The smooth edge of the coin contains the incused inscription: NATIONALVERSAMMLUNG WEIMAR 1919 (“NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WEIMAR 1919”).
| Denom. |
Metal |
Weight | Diameter | Quality |
Maximum Mintage |
| 20 euro |
.925 Silver |
18 g | 32.5 mm | Brilliant Unc. with applied colour |
120,000 |
| 20 euro |
.925 Silver |
18 g | 32.5 mm | Proof with applied colour |
45,000* |
The silver Uncirculated versions are available from commercial banks and post offices for their face value.
*The Proof version of this coin is only available on the annual commemorative five-piece silver Proof set which includes all five 20-euro commemorative coins and is available from October 2019.
Additional information about this coin and other items is available from the Sammlermünzen beim Bundesministerium der Finanzen — Verkaufsstelle für Sammlermünzen.
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