Czech National Bank to issue ducats for first time
The Czech National Bank has unveiled a plan to issue several series of commemorative coins and banknotes between the years 2021 and 2025, reflecting important anniversaries in Czech history.
The second emission of ducats will be released in 2025, marking the 700th anniversary of the start of mintage of the first Czech gold coins by John of Luxembourg.
Unlike the rest of the commemorative coins and banknotes, the ducats are trade coins, which are not part of the system of legal tender and do not have a value denominated in a monetary unit, the bank explains on its website.
The special edition of the Czech National Bank’s commemorative coins will include CZK 200 silver coins with 16 different motifs, marking, for instance, 100 years since the start of regular broadcasting by Czechoslovak Radio, 150 years since the birth of the artist František Kupka and 900 years since the death of the chronicler Kosmas.
The bank will also release CZK 500 silver coins featuring iconic means of transport, such as the Škoda 498 steam locomotive, the Jawa motorcycle and the Tatra 603 car.
Another cycle will consist of CZK 5000 gold coins with ten selected municipal heritage sites, including Litoměřice, Hradec Králové and Kroměříž.
The most valuable coin will be CZK 1000 gold coin issued in 2021, marking 1,100 years since the death of Princess Ludmila, the patroness of Bohemia.
The Czech National Bank will also release a large-diameter coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the so-called Great Prague in 1922, which united the capital city with its suburbs and neighbouring towns.
The commemorative banknote, to be issued in 2020, will feature Karel Engliš, the most important financier of the First Republic.
Although the coins and banknotes can be traded for normal currency, most of them are likely to end up in private collections.
