Luxembourg · 175 years of Luxembourg independence

Issue date6 Jan 2014

Total mintage519,500

EU maximum1,400,000

Editions5

Edge lettering2 ★ ★ × 6, alternating upright/inverted

Inscription1839 / 2014 / LËTZEBUERG / ONOFHÄNGEGKEET / 175 Joër

DesignerGestaltungskonzept BCL

mintKoninklijke Nederlandse Munt, Utrecht

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin honours the 175th anniversary of the independence of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The design shows, on the right, the portrait of His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri in profile facing right, and on the left the years “1839” and “2014” as well as the inscription “LËTZEBUERG”. Below are the words “ONOFHÄNGEGKEET” and “175 Joër”.

The design

The inner part of the coin shows a portrait of His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri in profile facing right, and on the left side, arranged vertically, the years “1839” and “2014” as well as the name of the issuing country, “LËTZEBUERG”. In the lower part of the inner section, the words “ONOFHÄNGEGKEET” and “175 Joër” can be read.

The outer ring of the coin depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Background on the topic

The year 1839 does not mark the founding of Luxembourg as a grand duchy. This had already taken place in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna (Wiener Kongress). At that time, Luxembourg was transferred to the Dutch King William I as an independent grand duchy and simultaneously became a member of the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund). A personal union existed: the Dutch king was also Grand Duke of Luxembourg in a personal union.

After the Belgian Revolution of 1830, a large part of the Luxembourg population joined the uprising against Dutch rule. In the following years, the country’s territorial affiliation was disputed. The Treaty of London of 19 April 1839 (Londoner Vertrag) finally regulated the division of Luxembourg. The predominantly French-speaking western part went to Belgium and today forms the Belgian province of Luxembourg. The eastern part remained a grand duchy under William I. Its territory essentially corresponds to the present-day state of Luxembourg.

The independence of 1839 was therefore part of a longer process of state development. Luxembourg initially remained connected to the Netherlands in a personal union and belonged to the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) until its dissolution in 1866. The personal union ended in 1890 because different succession rules applied in the grand duchy than in the Netherlands. The Luxembourgish throne then passed to the House of Nassau-Weilburg (Haus Nassau-Weilburg).

Grand Duke Henri has been Luxembourg’s head of state since October 2000. He succeeded his father, Grand Duke Jean, following his abdication. As grand duke, Henri stands at the head of the constitutional monarchy; political decision-making takes place within the framework of parliamentary democracy. The portrait of the ruler on the coin thus establishes a connection between the historic state anniversary and the present form of government. Portraits of the reigning grand duke regularly feature in the design of Luxembourgish euro coins.

The anniversary provided an occasion to commemorate the territorial reorganization of 1839, from which present-day Luxembourg emerged. The Luxembourgish words “Onofhängegkeet” and “Joër” also refer to the role of Luxembourgish as the national language and as an expression of an independent state identity.