From the designer

The Jaap Eden 5 Euro Coin

Artist Wineke Gartz is the designer of the Jaap Eden commemorative coin. She explains in her own words how she came up with the design of the coin:
Wineke Gartz about Jaap Eden

The Netherlands is proud of its skating champions. That certainly applies to Jaap Eden. On the ice rink next to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the current museum square, he became world champion on January 14 in 1893. He could not have imagined that, at only 19 years old, he would stand at the beginning of a long tradition which has become part of our identity. We are an ice skating country, and we honor our national heroes on the ice.

The sports performance of Jaap Eden still appeals to the imagination today. He was not only the best in the world on the ice, but also on a bicycle. Powerful, fearless, headstrong. His name is synonymous with victory. Whoever is voted the best sportsman or sportswoman of the year in the Netherlands wins the Jaap Eden Trophy.

Reverse of the Jaap Eden Commemorative Coin

In my design for the Jaap Eden commemorative coin, I opted for a simple but powerful image, based on an old drawing of him skating on natural ice. We see Jaap Eden who comes to skate towards us in the manner of a great champion: strong and unyielding, but also calm and self-evident. We see the bent posture of the winner who goes his own way, through storm and struggle, driven by the will to be the best. It even reminds me a bit of the harsh winters of the past.

The scratches in the ice not only give the feeling of a Dutch landscape, but also symbolize the impression that Jaap Eden has left as an athlete. I chose to keep the scratches deeper within the coin. The lines themselves are shiny fond. The name "Jaap Eden" is also depicted deeper on the coin and becomes an image in itself; the letters are present in the background as a horizon.

His name is on top of the coin. This makes his name an image in itself.

Obverse of the Jaap Eden Commemorative Coin

On the obverse (front side) we see the same scratches, but mirrored. The impact of Jaap Eden literally presses through to the present. The scratches are placed here on the shiny fond, and form a festive, radiant background for King Willem-Alexander. The King is personally very connected with sports in general and skating in particular. He is often present at important competitions and then visibly enjoys the performance of the athletes. And with his participation in the Elfstedentocht many years ago, he is also part of the Dutch skating history.

I have drawn the King based of illustrations where he’s in office. In addition, I searched for a joyful and powerful appearance: the King enjoys himself, but he also exudes confidence and pride. It is as if he is sitting in the stands and looking at Jaap Eden. The King is proud of the past. At the same time, he focuses on the future, symbolized by looking in the direction of the year 2019.

The scratches in the ice connect both skaters (Eden and the King) on opposite sides of the coin, each with their own meaning.

The chosen typography
The chosen font LAYUP is by designer Jan Horčik (HG). The round font emphasizes the fun surrounding sports and refers to the character of Jaap Eden as an athlete and bon vivant. It is a very contemporary font that gives the design a fresh, contemporary twist.