Germany Issues 10 Euro Silver Coin To Commemorate 600th Anniversary of Leipzig University

July 9, 2009: Issued from the Berlin Mint and therefore branded with the 'A' mintmark, comes the latest in the series of 10 euro German silver coins for 2009. The coin is the 4th in the 10 euro commemorative series from Germany, after the Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung anniversary, Kepler's Law and special edition IAAF World Championship coins and marks the 600th anniversary of the Leipzig University in Saxony.


Germany 2009 10€ Leipzig University Silver BU

The University of Leipzig is regarded as one of the oldest universities in Europe and is the second oldest in Germany. Located in Saxony in Eastern Germany, Leipzig was founded in December 1409 by Frederick I and his brother William II, and was officially endorsed by Pope Alexander V. The internationally recognised University library was established in 1543 and services the University as well as the general public with extensive historical collections.

Since it's establishment, the university has enjoyed almost 600 years of uninterrupted teaching and learning.

Between 1953 and 1991 the university was known as the Karl Marx University and in it's time the university has produced several notable individuals, including Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Friedrich Nietzsche and Richard Wagner.

Featured on the reverse of this issue is the Grand Seal of the Universität Leipzig to the left, showing the Holy Laurentius, protector of its students, and John the Baptist. To the right is an image of one of Leipzig's most famous students, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, surrounded by the University's academic motto “Theoria cum praxi”, which he coined. At the top is the anniversary commemoration and the year of foundation. At the bottom is an image of the University's new building, which is intended to remind people of the St. Pauli Church that was destroyed in 1968. Despite surviving the bombings of World War II the church was destroyed by the East German dictatorship as an attempt to separate the university from it's past. Also in the lower portion of the coin is the anniversary year, 2009.

The obverse features the Eagle motif, State Emblem for the Federal Republic of Germany. Tp either side are 6 stars, making up the 12 stars of the European Union. At the top is the year of issue, 2009, while below the Eagle design is the inscription "Federal Republic Germany" and the nominal face value of "10 Euro". The 'A' mintmark representing the Berlin Mint, is found to the right of the Eagle's right claw.


Germany 2009 10€ Leipzig University Silver Proof

Each coin is struck from 18 grams of 92.5% silver on a 32.50mm flan in either Brilliant Uncirculated or high Proof quality. The Proof quality coin is housed in a capsule and has an issue limit of 200,000 while the BU version is supplied in a protective plastic flip with 1,500,000 coins released worldwide.

Both the Germany 2009 10€ Leipzig University Silver Proof and Silver BU coins are available to order through our website.