2019-03-01 Fri

On 14th March, the Royal Dutch Mint will be issuing a silver-plated copper Brilliant Uncirculated €5 version, a Proof .925 fine silver €5 coin and a Proof .900 fine gold €10 coin to celebrate the 100th anniversary of KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij or Royal Aviation Company), NLR (National Aerospace Laboratory) and aircraft manufacturer Fokker.

These would be the first commemorative coins of 2019 for the Netherlands. However, unlike earlier releases, the coin designs are different for each coin version. The aircraft shown on the reverse side of each coin version is placed differently with respect to the earth’s plane. It seems as if the aircraft is taking a flight when all three coin versions are kept next to each other.

The common obverse design depicts a portrait of Netherland’s King Willem-Alexander in an “art on the square centimetre” design by “Holland’s Master” Marijke van Warmerdam. The 10.5 grams silver-plated copper coin has a diameter of 29 millimetres and a mintage limit of 15,000 pieces. It comes in a coin card and can be purchased for $17.95. The 15.5 grams fine silver coin has a diameter of 33 millimetres and a mintage limit of 4,500 pieces. It can be bought for $65.75. The 6.72 grams gold coin has a diameter of 22.5 millimetres and a mintage limit of 1,000 pieces. It can be bought for €495.

Aviation in the Netherlands has evolved a lot in 100 years. The three organisations which celebrate their 100th anniversaries have been the pillars on which Dutch Aviation stands strong even today. The Royal Dutch Mint officials stated that the aviation industry has improved connectivity between different parts of the world. They said that there was a time when people used to dream of flying, but today, that dream has not only become a reality but also has become very accessible for the common man.

Image Courtesy: The Royal Dutch Mint