The Netherlands: Last guilder coin 2001

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In 2001, the Netherlands issued a commemorative 1 guilder coin to commemorate the change from the guilder to the euro in 2002. The coin is known as the 'Last guilder'. A design competition was held to find a suitable reverse design. Primary school children of groups 7 and 8 (11 and 12-year-olds) were allowed to submit a design. In total 55.000 designs were submitted. All designs were placed on long tables at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. Students at the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten (State Academy of Fine Arts) in Amsterdam and the University of the Arts in Utrecht were subsequently given the task to select a total of 1.000 designs, as suggestions for the jury.

A special commission was formed consisting of a group of artists, amongst which Ootje Oxenaar, and representatives of the Royal Dutch Mint and the Ministry for Finance. They were to advise the State Secretary for Finance, and ultimately HM Queen Beatrix, on which design to choose. Partly based on the selection made by the students, the commission picked the 10 best designs. Of these designs uniface trial strikes were made. Usually such advisory commissions then choose 1 design but in this case they were unable to make a decision. Instead, they selected 3 designs. Ultimately the decision was taken by the State Secretary for Finance and Queen Beatrix.

In this topic photos of the 10 shortlisted designs can be found along with the remarks of the commission. The last posts show the winning design.

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The design was made by Justin Entong. It amongst other things depicts tulips.

The date is depicted 3 times and the denomination can be seen in 2 different formats '1 gulden' and '100 cent'.

The commission concluded that the design was attractive but that the enormous detail would make it impossible to realize it as a coin.

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Sanne Lodder made a design depicting a girl.

She is holding a commemorative coin depicting her design.

An interesting use of the Droste effect.

The commission found the design was of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Anne Tijssen. She depicted a crown with coins on the tips.

The commission found the design was of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Dana Wessels. She depicted a person kicking a guilder coin. In the background a trash can can be seen in which the guilders end up. For unknown reasons, trial strikes of 2 slightly differing versions were made. The framed word 'geld' (money) and the date are located in a different place. Furthermore the lines and the guilder coin that is being kicked away were altered. The commission found the designs to be clearly of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Ariët Barhorst. She depicted a frog on a lily pad.

The commission found the design was of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Fedie van Driel. She depicted a lion's head.

The commission found the design was of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Nathalie de Nooyer.

It depicts a waving hand and twice the text "Dag gulden" (Bye guilder).

The commission found the design was of less quality than the 3 designs it selected.

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The design was made by Wybren Koelmans. He depicted a modified version of the Dutch coat of arms, with a person of a different ethnic group depicted in each quarter. The commission found the design to be full of character and a clear children's design. According to the commission, the design looks classic yet is clearly different. The arrival of the euro and therewith the farewell of the guilder is part of the ideal of one Europe. Different ethnic groups were placed on the coat of arms. The commission found that because of that the design has a connection with the past and expresses a wish for the future. It was clear for the commission that the theme of the last guilder was connected with the opening up of the Dutch society.

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The design was made by Sarah de Jong. The commission found it a nice and chic design that is clearly a guilder. According to them, the design looks mature. Some members of the committee found it somewhat cartoonish. In its absolute simplicity, the commission found it a fascinating and illustrative design. A design that will be attractive because of its simplicity. The theme 'the last guilder' is represented indirectly, the skewed crown can namely be interpreted as a crown that slides from the guilder.

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Ultimately the reverse design that can be seen above was chosen by then State Secretary for Finance Wouter Bos and Queen Beatrix. It was made by Tim van Melis of Gemert. According to the commission it is clearly recognizable that it is the design of a child. The commission was of the opinion that the design has a good composition, radiates cheerfulness and is illustrative and nice to look at. The members were certain that it was a design that would be liked by everyone. The theme 'the last guilder' is clearly depicted as an optimistic farewell. The guilder is being waved goodbye while the euro is being waved at to welcome it. Van Melis commented that he was inspired by Loeki de Leeuw, the Dutch national football team and the Dutch royal family. The design on the obverse was made by artists Michael Raedecker and Geerten Verheus. The portrait was earlier used on another Dutch commemorative coin. 16 million pieces were minted of the Last guilder coin, a figure that is equal to the Dutch population at that time. Van Melis' achievement was rewarded with a computer, a prize that the designers of the other 9 shortlisted designs also received. All participating classes received a framed certificate containing 2 last guilder coins of the Dutch treasury. It was a surprise for him that he had won as his teacher had given him a mere 6 for his design, which in the Netherlands is the lowest grade to pass. Remarkably, his achievement has since not been forgotten. In the town of Gemert a plaque in the facade of the local bank commemorates the competition win. The 20th anniversary in 2021 was also celebrated locally.

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Then Secretary for Finance Wouter Bos with Tim van Melis, moments after the former announced that Van Melis had won the competition.