National Heritage Site – Michal Mine in Ostrava

Preparation of designs for the coin - competition conditions (pdf, kB)- only Czech version
Technical preparation of the coin - competition results - only Czech version

On 6 October 2010, the Czech National Bank is putting into circulation the last CZK 2500 commemorative gold coin from its Industrial Heritage Sites cycle. The coin depicts Michal Mine in Ostrava, the first electrified mine in Czech territory. The coin is minted in two quality versions differing in surface treatment and edge marking. The classic normal-quality coins have fields and reliefs of the same polish and milled edges. The proof-quality coins have highly polished fields, matt reliefs and plain edges. The edge of the normal-quality coin is plain. The normal-quality and proof-quality coins are minted from 999.9 purity gold. The coins have a weight of 7.78 g, a diameter of 22 mm and a thickness of 1.6 mm. 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 0.062 g and in gold content of 0.01% are allowed.

The obverse side of the coin features an electric mining machine located in a semicircular segment as an example of the mine’s internal equipment. The mark of the Czech Mint is on the right-hand side of the semicircular segment and the denomination and abbreviated monetary unit “2500 Kč” are at the bottom of the segment. The name of the state "ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA” and a composition of heraldic animals from the large national coat-of-arms of the Czech Republic are located above the mining machine. The Czech lion is in the middle, with the Moravian eagle on the right and the Silesian eagle on the left. The unclosed text of the name of the cycle in Czech “KULTURNÍ PAMÁTKY TECHNICKÉHO DĚDICTVÍ” is written around the outer circle. The reverse side of the coin features the hoist tower of Michal Mine. The year of mintage "2010" is located below the hoist tower. The left-hand and right-hand edges of the coin feature the unclosed text “DŮL MICHAL V OSTRAVĚ”. The initials of the designer of the coin, the sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, are located below this text on the right-hand side of the coin.

Each coin comes with a red postcard-sized catalogue card. The relief of the coin is dry-stamped through gold foil. The text is given in Czech and English. The card is the same for the normal-quality and proof-quality coins.

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