It’s a century since Czechoslovakia was inaugurated and the National bank of Slovakia celebrates in silver

REVERSEOBVERSE

Slovakia is remembering it was a century ago, at the end of the First World War, that it joined with the Czech’s to form the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Breaking away from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it lasted in a relatively peaceful state until it was divided and incorporated into Nazi Germany in 1939. With the fall of the Nazi’s, Czechoslovakia’s problems continued as it fell under the sphere of influence of Stalin’s Soviet Russia. It finally gained its freedom in 1990 with the fall of the Berlin Wall, before peacefully breaking into two nations – the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, on 01 January 1993.

This new 18 gram 0.900 silver coin has a classic design and is free of adornment. Depicting Czechoslovakia as it was in 1918 on the reverse face, and a composition of the different coat-of-arms of the country then and Slovakia now, it’s certainly appealing enough. Two versions with fundamentally the same specification are available, just differing in finish. A brilliant uncirculated version with a mintage of 3,250 is the cheaper of the two, with a proof version (7,550 mintage) coming in slightly more expensive. We’ve yet to see actual prices, but previous issues have sold for around €22 and €27 respectively, so great value compared to some national mints. The proof version comes boxed. Available to order very shortly.

The independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed in Prague on 28 October 1918. Two days later, on 30 October 1918, Slovak leaders re-established the Slovak National Council in Martin and issued a declaration expressing their intention to be part of the new country. The Czechoslovak Republic came into being thanks largely to leading Czech and Slovak political dissidents, at home and abroad, and their activities in the Czech and Slovak lands during the First World War. The key figures were Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, who became the country’s first president, and his two closest collaborators, Milan Ratistlav Štefánik and Edvard Beneš. The establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic is one of the most significant milestones in Slovakia’s history. After decades of subjugation within Hungary, Slovaks had the opportunity to fully develop their nationhood, which eventually enabled them to become a modern European nation.

REVERSE: depicts the middle coat of arms of the Czechoslovak Republic. On the left is the coat of arms of Slovakia, and on the right is the denomination and currency ‘10 EURO’. The year of issuance ‘2018’ and the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ appear in the upper part of the design. At the bottom are the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies, and the stylised letters ‘ZF’, the initials of the designer, Zbyněk Fojtů.

OBVERSE: shows an outline map of the Czechoslovak Republic. Below the map is the coat of arms used by the Czechoslovak Legions in the First World War, with linden sprigs depicted on each side. Above the map, on two lines, is the date ‘28. OKTÓBER 1918’. In semi-circle around the edge of the design is the inscription ‘VZNIK ČESKOSLOVENSKEJ REPUBLIKY’ (‘Establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic’).

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION €10 Euro
COMPOSITION 0.900 silver 18.0 grams
DIMENSIONS 34.0 mm
FINISH Brilliant uncirculated or Proof
MINTAGE 3,250 BU / 7,550 Proof
BOX / COA To be confirmed
NATIONAL BANK OF SLOVAKIA