Issuance of a CZK 2500 commemorative gold coin “Heritage Site – Elbe Sluice under Střekov Castle” from Industrial Heritage Site cycle

On 20 May 2009, the Czech National Bank is putting into circulation the seventh gold coin from its Industrial Heritage Sites cycle: “National Heritage Site – Elbe Sluice under Střekov Castle”. The commemorative gold coin has a face value of CZK 2,500 and was designed by Josef Oplištil, who is the author also of the second coin of the cycle featuring the Observatory at Prague Klementinum. The obverse side of the coin depicts a Kaplan turbine in the engine room of the hydroelectric power station of the sluice at Ústí nad Labem. This relief is supplemented by a composition of heraldic animals. The reverse side of the coin depicts an overall view of the Elbe sluice. Today, on the issuance day, the CNB organised an official unveiling of the coin on the boat Porta Bohemica anchoring in a small lock of the sluice under Střekov.

The issued coin is a part of the Industrial Heritage Sites cycle, which reminds the public of the significant cultural heritage – industrial heritage sites situated within the territory of the Czech Republic. The cycle will comprise a total of ten coins gradually issued over the period of 2006 – 2010. In selecting the heritage sites, emphasis was placed on the diversity of the heritage sites represented and on the representation of various regions. The coins issued in 2006 – 2008 featured motifs of the Hand-Paper Mill at Velké Losiny, the Observatory at Prague Klementinum, Ševčiny Mine at Příbram – Březové Hory, the Water Mill at Slup, the Chain Bridge at Stádlec and the Brewery at Pilsen. The coin depicting the Wind Mill at Ruprechtov with the only example of a Hallad turbine in the Czech Republic will be issued this autumn and the cycle will be completed with the coins devoted to the biggest manufacturing Hammer at Dobřív and Michal Mine at Ostrava, the first fully electrified mine on the territory of the Czech Republic, next year.

All the coins have a face value of CZK 2,500, a diameter of 22 mm and a weight of 7.78 g (1/4 of a troy ounce). The thickness of each coin depends on the height of its relief. The coins are minted from 999.9 purity gold in two quality versions differing in surface treatment and edge marking. The 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. Each coin comes with a red postcard-sized catalogue card with a description and relief of the coin.

The Czech National Bank sells sits commemorative coins to private individuals through entities licensed to trade in numismatic material. The list of these entities, as well as further information on the gold coins issued by the CNB are available on the CNB website.

More detailed information and illustration of the coin.

Marek Petruš
CNB Spokesman