Schlitzie – 1 Troy Ounce .999 Fine Silver Round

Explore the Famous Circus Sideshow Acts collection

A familiar face from circus history and early sound cinema, Schlitzie is remembered today especially for his appearance in Tod Browning’s Freaks. This Intaglio Mint round places his portrait in the Famous Circus Sideshow Acts collection, combining one troy ounce of .999 fine silver with a subject whose screen presence has outlasted the traveling shows of his era.

From the Sideshow to the Screen

Schlitzie worked in the circus and sideshow world, where publicity often transformed performers into extraordinary characters. Billing such as “The Last of the Aztecs” belonged to that promotional tradition; it should not be read as a reliable account of his ancestry.

His best-known film appearance came in Freaks (1932). Browning, who knew the circus world firsthand, cast actual sideshow performers in a story about exploitation, loyalty, and revenge within a traveling show. Schlitzie appears amid a distinctive ensemble whose lives and performances give the film much of its enduring interest.

The production occupies an unusual place in Hollywood history. It drew controversy on release and later found renewed attention among film audiences and historians. In Britain, it did not receive a cinema release until 1963—more than three decades after it was made.

This portrait round connects those two histories: the live entertainment of the circus tent and the lasting record created by motion pictures. The inscription reproduces Schlitzie’s historical stage billing, while the design keeps the performer himself at the center.

Obverse Design

A portrait of Schlitzie fills the obverse, with “SCHLITZIE THE PINHEAD” above. The wording reflects the period’s sideshow terminology.

Reverse Design

“FAMOUS CIRCUS SIDESHOW ACTS” appears against a circus-tent background. The hallmark follows the lower circumference, completing the collection’s shared reverse.

Specifications

• Weight: 1.00 troy ounce
• Thickness: 3.10 mm
• Purity: .999 fine silver
• Edge: Reeded
• Diameter: 39 mm
• Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated