Woot woot, just finished another silver purchase. Got lots of shit coming this time, including 7 pieces of 5 Deutsche marks (all different designs) and my first silver coins from Japan and Serbia 🥳
Speaking of Deutsche Marks, let me introduce you to one of my latest acquisitions! A 5 Deutsche mark minted in the 1970 in honor of Gerardus Mercator
Seller was kind enough to put it in a free case 💕
Let's take it out
So who is this fella with the cool beard? His name sounded a bit familiar but I couldn't remember why...
Turns out he is kind of a big deal :)
Gerardus Mercator (5 March 1512 – 2 December 1594)[d] was a Flemish geographer, cosmographer and cartographer. He is most renowned for creating the 1569 world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing (rhumb lines) as straight lines—an innovation that is still employed in nautical charts. source
Here's how his map actually looked like:
Not a bad job! Remember that's 1569. No googlw maps back then to cheat 😂
Like the other Deutsche mark coins we have seen, we have a bad ass imperial eagle when we flip the coin
As for the edge, it comes engraved with the text
TERRAE DESCRIPTIO AD USUM NAVIGANTIUM
Since I am retarded when it comes to German, I figured to ask Chatgbt to translate and private more info. Here's what it had to say:
The German phrase "TERRAE DESCRIPTIO AD USUM NAVIGANTIUM" translates to "a description of the earth for the use of navigators." It refers to a type of map or atlas that is specifically designed to aid in navigation at sea. Such maps typically show coastlines, ocean currents, prevailing winds, and other information that is useful to sailors and navigators. They may also include information on the locations of ports, hazards to navigation, and other features that are important for safe navigation.
Thanks AI! Always a pleasure to chat with you 😂
As is the case with other 5 Deutsche marks, this piece is 11.2 g of 0.625 purity or exactly 7 g of silver.
And as always, a size comparison with a modern, failing euro coin
Yeah... The old eagle looks way better 🦅