Much like the United States, every country has its own “Lady Liberty.” Representing the country in many forms and in many different ways, she is the female personification of said country and is held in high esteem. In our next entry featuring the 100 Greatest Women On Coins series, we take a look at Germany’s version of Liberty. With help from author Ron Guth, we explore Whitman Publishing’s middle of the road pick that happens to be the country’s soft yet warlike representative.
#58 - Germania
Presented in paintings and a variety of media across the country, Germania is the female personification of Germany. Demonstrating softness and femininity, she is also displayed as firm, resolute, and warlike in the eyes of the Western European country. At times, she is featured holding a flag, a sword, or a shield and often the work features a black imperial eagle.
According to Guth, one of the most famous depictions of Germania is featured in a sculpture in the Niederwalddenkmal. It is a monument near Rudesheim am Rhein, Germany, on the northern banks of the Rhein River. The 34-foot tall sculpture of Germania depicts her standing in front of a seat created with eagles on either side of it. The stone monument features her left hand holding the imperial German crown while her right hand holds a sword. Fashioned on the front of her is a breastplate featuring the imperial eagle as her long hair flows behind her.
Representing Germany, it would only make sense that Germania is featured on a number of coins and medals throughout the years. She is shown as a young lady facing right with her hair high in a bun with a wreath of oak on thalers and double thalers (1859-1866) of Frankfurt. She is featured on pattern coins in a number of different poses. In 1999, the issuing country of Palau released a $5 coin as part of an International Coins series in which she is shown next to the colonial arms of Cameroon. Cameroon was a German colony from 1884 up until the end of World War I.
According to Guth, Frankfurt thalers are easy to come by featuring Germania. However, double thalers are more rare and hard to find making them more valuable. German pattern coins are extremely rare with the exception of Goetz Germania patterns.