The Eise Eisinga Planetarium and 25 Years of Opening the Marriage Themes for New Coins 2026

Last spring, everyone could suggest a theme through an online consultation for a collectors coin for the year 2026. From the many responses, the Minister of Finance Eelco Heinen, who is responsible for the minting, chose 25 years of opening the marriage. On April 1, 2026, it will be twenty-five years since the Netherlands, as the first country in the world, opened civil marriage to partners of the same sex. The opening of civil marriage was an important step in their recognition. The Netherlands played a pioneering role in this; civil marriage has since been opened in many other countries.

In addition to 25 years of opening the marriage, the Eise Eisinga Planetarium has also been selected. The Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023. The planetarium, built between 1774 and 1781 by the Frisian wool weaver and amateur astronomer Eise Eisinga, is the oldest working planetarium in the world. It is an accurately moving model of the solar system, where the position of the sun, moon, and the then-known five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) can be seen at any moment of the day. The recognition by UNESCO emphasizes the exceptional and unique value of this heritage.

Now that the themes for 2026 have been announced, a public call will follow to recruit artists. The Coin Advisory Committee will then select several artists who will be asked to create a coin design. The Minister of Finance will select the winning design based on the advice of the Coin Advisory Committee.