This year marks 60 years since Anton Geesink has written history as the first non-Japanese to win the World Judo Championship in the heaviest weight division. The Royal Dutch Mint issues a commemorative coin in honour of the Dutch judoka. The coin's design was revealed today by granddaughter Leonie Geesink at the statue of Anton Geesink in Utrecht. The Anton Geesink 5 Euro Coin is minted on behalf of the Ministry of Finance.
Anton Geesink’s LegacyAnton Geesink (1934-2010) was born and raised in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He gained worldwide fame when he won the World Judo Championship in 1961. In his lifetime, he won the world title another two times, the European Championship twenty-one times and a gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Geesink was also committed to his sport beyond his own athletic achievements. For instance, he invented the contrasting colours of the opponents. Where both judokas first wore white during competitions, nowadays one of the two wears a blue uniform. This makes the judo matches a lot easier to follow for the referee and the audience. After winning his Olympic title, Geesink opened a gym in his hometown Utrecht. The street in which the school is located was named the “Anton Geesinkstraat”. In the Utrecht neighbourhood Wijk C, where Geesink was born, the judoka has been immortalized as a statue. Today, granddaughter Leonie Geesink revealed the design of the commemorative coin at her grandfather’s statue.
Design Inspired by Japan
The obverse of the Anton Geesink 5 Euro Coin shows King Willem-Alexander with a beard. His head is encircled by the symbol of the “Kodokan”, the first judo school established in Tokyo in 1882. On the reverse, Anton Geesink can be seen during his victory at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In full concentration he holds his opponent in a headlock. The circles symbolize the twenty seconds in which the headlock must be held in order to win the judo match. In addition, the circles represent a rising sun: Japan is the “Land of the Rising Sun”.
Buy Your Commemorative Coin Now!
The Anton Geesink 5 Euro Coin can be ordered from today! We expect a lot of interest, so place your order quickly. The ceremonial First Strike will take place on 23 June 2021, one month before the start of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. You can order the First Day Issue only on this day, so mark the date in your calendar!