60 years Hartstichting Medal in Coincard

Your heart is the motor of your life: it gives the very first sign of life when you are born and after that, your heart makes sure you can do whatever you want. Unfortunately, there are no less than 1.7 million people with heart and vascular disease. And within a year, these numbers could increase with a million! To get more attention for the heart, the Royal Dutch Mint works together with the Hartstichting, a Dutch organization that is fighting against heart and vascular disease. The organization celebrates a special anniversary in 2024.
 
A healthy heart for everyone
We exercise far too little and are becoming heavier. This is causing our health to deteriorate considerably. Heart and vascular disease are the most important cause of hospitalization: this makes it even more urgent to take action. Together with the Hartstichting, we want to draw more attention to the dangers of heart and vascular disease.
 
The Hartstichting wants Dutch people to be and stay healthy. This is possible by aiming for a smoking free country in 2035, healthier food and more physical movement. Some concrete steps are being taken to make the Dutch hearts healthier. And this is possible by doing the following:

• Preventing heart and vascular disease by making our environment healthier;
• Finding people with a high risk of heart and vascular disease sooner and stimulate them to live a healthier life;
• Recognizing diseases sooner and investing in the research for the best possible treatment;
• ​​Stimulating fast help in emergency situations that are caused by heart and vascular disease.

 
60 years Hartstichting: then, now and later
In 1964, the Hartstichting was founded, to fight against heart and vascular disease. A lot of goals have been reached in 60 years, like the survival chances of people with a heart or vascular condition. At this moment, the Hartstichting is putting in the effort to improve the heart condition of the Netherlands, both substantial and durable. The Hartstichting's goal is clear: making the health of the heart better measurable in 2030. This specifically means there will be more healthy people and the people with heart and vascular disease will stay as healthy as possible.
 
Design
First and foremost, our heart has a physical function: it keeps us alive. The heart is also the center of love and emotion. This makes the heart a special organ. The 60 years Hartstichting medal symbolizes both sides of the heart. On the obverse are two hands that shape a heart together. On the reverse, you can find a heart made out of squares: this is a referral to the 60^th anniversary of the Hartstichting. On the reverse there is also the text ’60 years’, with the years 1964 and 2024. Below is the text ‘Everything starts with the heart’. The medal is placed in a very nice coincard, made with the colors red and white. The squares, visible on the reverse, can also be seen on the other side of the coincard. On the obverse of the coincard, the anniversary logo of the Hartstichting is placed. The reverse of the coincard also holds the specifications of the medal and has a ECG in the middle