Commemorative silver coin to mark the 25th anniversary of 17 November 1989

Preparation of designs for the coin – competition conditions (pdf, 316 kB) – in Czech only
Technical preparation of the coin – competition results – in Czech only

On 12 November 2014 the Czech National Bank is putting into circulation a CZK 200 commemorative silver coin to mark the 25th anniversary of the events of 17 November 1989. The coin is minted from an alloy containing 925 parts silver and 75 parts copper and is issued in two versions, normal quality and proof quality, which differ in surface treatment and edge marking. Proof-quality coins have a highly polished field, a matt relief and a plain edge with the inscription in Czech “ČESKÁ NÁRODNÍ BANKA * Ag 0.925 * 13 g *”. Normal quality coins have milled edges. The coin is 31 mm in diameter, weighs 13 g and is 2.2 mm thick. As with any other coins, deviations in diameter of 0.1 mm and thickness of 0.15 mm are allowed. Upward deviations in weight of 0.26 g and silver content of 1% are permitted.

The obverse side features the Czech lion from the national coat-of-arms of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic behind bars, bearing a shield with a silhouette of Kriváň mountain and a bonfire on its chest. Below the figure of the lion are the years “1948 – 1989”. Above the lion is a five-pointed star. The denomination and abbreviated monetary unit “200 Kč” are written around the lower edge of the coin. The name of the state “ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA” is located around the left-hand and right-hand edge of the coin. The coin was minted by the Czech Mint (Česká mincovna) in Jablonec nad Nisou. Its mark, in the form of the letters “Č” and “M”, is located near the upper edge of the coin. The reverse side depicts the Czech lion from the national coat-of-arms of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic between open bars, bearing a shield with the coat-of-arms of the Slovak Republic on its chest. Above the lion is a royal crown. The upper edge of the coin contains the inscription "17. LISTOPAD 1989", and the years "1989" and "2014" are situated near the bottom edge. The designer of the coin is Jiří Hanuš. His initial – a letter "H" in a square – is situated above the years.

Each coin comes with a catalogue card with an overprint depicting a stylised flag of the Czech Republic. The card contains a description and the relief of the coin.

Simultaneously with this commemorative coin, the Czech National Bank is issuing a set comprising a commemorative coin and a medal to mark this anniversary. Based on the final design produced by Jiří Harcuba, who died in 2013, the medal is a homage to this leading figure of Czech coin design. The set containing the commemorative coin and the medal has been minted in a batch of 4,000.

The Czech National Bank sells its commemorative coins through contractual partners licensed to trade in numismatic material.