The image side of the coin, which was designed by Elena Gerber from Berlin, presents a collage of typical hand tools from the food trades in a successful, dense composition. The products that are made with the tools of the trade are presented on the surrounding ring, bordered by the word NUTRITION and the “craftsman’s thumb” as a visual symbol of German craftsmanship. All objects are extremely sensitive and finely modeled and reflect the diversity of the artisan food trades. The value side takes up the arrangement of the picture side with the ring-shaped arrangement of the writing and the stars and puts a lively and dignified eagle at the center.
The opening motif of the new 50 euro gold coin series “German Crafts”, which focuses on its diversity and importance and will include five coins, is “Nutrition”.
Nutrition is one of the most basic human needs. Historically, craftsmen such as bakers, butchers and millers were among the first groups to establish themselves as professions and to form the first guilds in the High Middle Ages. They were a central pillar of a free, civil society; to this day, agriculture and crafts are important pillars for feeding the population. While industrial processing and wholesale and retail play an increasingly larger role, crafts remain indispensable - from the provision of life to the center of society, especially in rural areas and in direct contact with consumers.
In Germany, around 510,000 employees work in the food trade in around 32,000 companies. The turnover generated is around €41 billion and the number of trainees is around 23,400 (all figures as of 2020).
Craft businesses are usually medium-sized businesses, often family-owned and run by master craftsmen who produce their own goods and are responsible for their quality. They bear commercial responsibility for the company and train specialists. All of these factors, as well as the regional connection that the craft businesses have, make them particularly sustainable.
