The Organizing Committee of Coin Constellation - 2013

20 euro

20 g

24 mm

Silver 900°

50 000 pcs.

Proof

Designer: Helmut Andexlinger (obverse),Thomas Pesendorfer (reverse)

The Austrian Mint

The obverse of the coin is a careful reproduction of one of the many existing of Egon Schiele. This particular portrait of Schiele, taken by photographer Anton Tricka in 1914 was selected by the mint engraver who worked on this side of the coin, Helmut Andexlinger, “because it includes Schiele’s hands which were so important to his artistic profession.” In the background in the upper left quadrant of the coin is a reproduction of a chalk drawing down by Schiele in 1918. The obverse side of the coin also bears the privy mark of the European silver program, under the year of issue 2012. As well the obverse depicts the country of issue “REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH”, the face value of 20 euros. The reverse of the coin depicts his world famous painting titled “Portrait of Wally”. The left side of the coin also painstakingly reproduces the signature of Egon Schiele and the date of the painting, 1912. On the right side is a portion of several leaves of a plant done in an expressionist form.

The Austrian Mint has issued a 20 euro silver coin celebrating world-renowned artist Egon Schiele (1890 – 1918). The coin is Austria’s contribution to the European Union’s collaborative coin program. The common theme chosen for the European silver program is “Artists.” The distinguishing features of the Europa Star series is that the coins must be at least 900 fine and bear the privy mark “Europa Star”, a star surrounded by an “E” to represent the European Union. The privy mark should be a clearly distinguishable mark of the coin’s design.