Obverse: The German heraldic eagle, the national emblem of Germany, is depicted. Below it appears the denomination “5 DEUTSCHE MARK”, dividing the year of issue “1977”, with the surrounding inscription “BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND”.
Reverse: A bust of the renowned German mathematician, physicist and astronomer Carl Friedrich Gauss is shown facing the viewer. To the right are the dates of his life “1777–1855”.
About the coin: This is a commemorative 5 Mark silver coin issued in Germany in 1977 to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Carl Friedrich Gauss. The coin is struck in .625 silver (37.5% copper), with a total weight of 11.2 g, a diameter of 29 mm and a pure silver content of approximately 7.00 g. The edge is plain with the incuse inscription “PAUCA ** SED ** MATURA” (“Few, but ripe”). The designer of the coin is Erich Ott.
