The coin motif, designed by artist Reinhard Eiber from Feucht, is based on wooden candle arches from the 20th century. It shows motifs of the parlour at home with preparations for Christmas Eve. The emblem of the two miners with the Saxon electoral swords and hammer and mallet refers to the use of the candle arch in a mining context. The very balanced overall image consists of the characteristic features of a candle arch and is enclosed by the sans serif font, which frames the mining emblem in the lower centre. The value side with the dignified eagle harmonises perfectly with the clearly elaborated concept of the image side.
Its name is derived from "floating arch", the architectural term for an arch that floats freely between two walls.
The candle arch in the Ore Mountains is a Christmas object fitted with candles, which is occasionally mentioned in churches and in a mining context from the 18th century and was originally forged from iron. One of the first surviving candle arches was made in Johanngeorgenstadt in 1740 - probably for the miners' "Bergmette", which was celebrated on 24 December. In addition to two miners and two angels, this candle arch also depicts Adam and Eve, one before and one after the Fall of Man. This is no coincidence: in both the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, 24 December is the day of remembrance for the first human couple according to the Bible.
For generations, candle arches remained an integral part of Christmas celebrations in the Erzgebirge, particularly in the Johanngeorgenstadt area, which were mainly characterised by miners. Accordingly, the motifs of many candle arches reflected the everyday lives of miners and their families. The candle arch did not become a mass phenomenon until the 20th century, when it was predominantly made of metal. Since then, wooden constructions have prevailed. Popular variants today depict scenes from the Christian Christmas story as well as from the forest and home. There is a wide variety of shapes in terms of size, wood used and level of detail. The largest free-standing candle arch - with a width of 25 metres - is erected in Johanngeorgenstadt.
