100 years of the koruna
The Czech National Bank this year celebrates the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Czechoslovak currency and its monetary unit the koruna and the putting into circulation of koruna banknotes and coins. To mark this special occasion, the CNB has prepared a set of events and activities to commemorate the creation of the currency and to publicise the work and role of the central bank. These events and activities are listed below. The information will be updated on an ongoing basis.
Accompanying activities
Competition to design a commemorative CZK 100 banknote
The CNB, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, has announced a competition for primary and secondary school pupils to design a CZK 100 banknote. The prizes for winners include the first ever commemorative banknote, a visit to the State Printing Office and the Czech Mint and participation in a discussion with a commemorative coin designer.
Publication of a book “100 years of the koruna”
This lavishly illustrated book will be a loose sequel to three previous publications on the history of Czech money.
The book, written by CNB Deputy Governor Vladimír Tomšík and others, will present milestones in the history of the central bank in the areas of monetary policy, institutional history and money development.
Exhibition “100 years of the koruna”
The Czech National Bank prepared an exhibition titled “100 years of the koruna”, which was open in the Imperial Stables at Prague Castle from 1 February until 12 May 2019. The exhibition gave the public an opportunity to view, for example, gold bars, coins and medals, original designs of Czechoslovak banknotes by Alphonse Mucha, Max Švabinský, Karel Svolinský and others, and rare Czechoslovak notes and coins. A heavyweight gold coin of nominal value CZK 100,000,000, struck to mark this important anniversary, was also exhibited to visitors.
- The Czech heavyweight coin – an art documentary depicting the production of the second-largest gold coin in the world
- The photo gallery from the 100 years of the koruna exhibition
International conference
On 16–17 May 2019, the Czech National Bank held an international conference The Future of Monetary Policy: What Can We See as the Dust Has Settled? attended by leading representatives of other central banks and world-renowned economists.
Open Day
An Open Day will take place at the CNB’s Prague headquarters in September 2019 to formally close the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Czechoslovak currency.
Numismatic activities
On the occasion of the anniversary, the Czech National Bank has added to its issuance schedule several circulating and commemorative coins, a banknote with an additional print and the first ever commemorative banknote. The notes and coins are as follows:
- a heavyweight gold CZK 100,000,000 coin “100 years of the koruna”
- a gold CZK 10,000 coin “The 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Czechoslovak koruna”
- a commemorative bi-metal CZK 2,000 coin “The 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Czechoslovak koruna”
- a CZK 100 banknote with an additional print “The 100th anniversary of the currency separation” (avaliable in czech only)
- a commemorative CZK 100 banknote “The establishment of the Czechoslovak koruna”
- a commemorative silver CZK 500 coin “The 100th anniversary of the start of issuance of Czechoslovak money”
- circulating CZK 20 coins “Personalities of the Czechoslovak currency” (Alois Rašín, Vilém Pospíšil, Karel Engliš)
These banknotes and coins to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Czechoslovak currency will be preceded by numismatic activities to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia. These include:
- a commemorative silver CZK 500 coin “The 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Washington Declaration”
- a gold CZK 10,000 coin “The 100th anniversary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia”
- circulating CZK 20 coins “Personalities of the Czechoslovak state” (Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Edvard Beneš)