As in most places in the world, Czech currency is issued in the form of paper notes and coins. Although the Czech Republic is officially a member of the European Union, the euro is rarely accepted as a means of payment in Czech institutions. Instead, Czechs use their own currency, known as the krone, which is denoted as CZK or Kč.
Before the collapse of the country in 1993, the Czechoslovak krona was in circulation, but after Czechoslovakia split and the currency was divided for Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, the krone became a new form of payment for the Czech people.
History of Czech money
Many say that the Czech koruna was the first autonomous currency introduced after the independence of countries formerly part of Czechoslovakia. But the history of the krona dates back to the 1800s, when money called krone in German and koruna in Bohemia was presented as the first gold currency in the Austro-Hungarian empire.
The Czech koruna was withdrawn from circulation between 1939 and 1945 due to the occupation of the German Reich. They stopped using it, and in the Czech Republic they began to use the Reichsmark. But after the liberation of the country, the crown returned again.
Now twelve forms of the crown are used: six banknotes and six coins of the Czech Republic, each of which has different meanings. In circulation are banknotes of 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 kroons. There is also a banknote of 5,000 kroons, but it is rarely used.
Czech coins, the weight and size of which increase in accordance with the growth of their value, have face values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 crowns. Each of them, currently used, was designed by Czech architects and sculptors. The photo of Czech coins shows that each of them is beautiful in its own way. There are also several specialized and commemorative coins that are of great value.
Until 2008, the Czechs also used loose change coins, known as gellers (haléř or hellers), but they have since disappeared from circulation.
The term “geller” was used to denote a coin that was 1/100 kroons in the Czech Republic (Czech Koruna) and Slovakia (Slovak Koruna), as well as in former Czechoslovakia (Czechoslovak Krona).
All Czech currency is issued exclusively by the Central Bank of the Czech Republic (CNB).
One crown
This Czech coin (2 CZK) is made of nickel-plated steel. Minted in 1993 at the Royal Canadian Mint Winnipeg, and since 1994 at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - material: galvanic steel with nickel, magnetic; round shape; weight 3.6 g, diameter (D) 20 mm, thickness (s) 1.85 mm; milling edge with 80 grooves; Tolerances: nickel content -0.5%, weight ± 0.15 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.13 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Yarmila Trukhlikova-Spavakova.
- On the front side is an image of a Czech lion.
- On the reverse side is the denomination above the image of the crown of St. Wenceslas.
Two crowns
This Czech coin (2 CZK) is also made of nickel-plated steel. Minted in 1993 and 1994 at the Royal Canadian Mint in Winnipeg, and since 1994 at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - material: galvanic steel with nickel, magnetic; 11-sided; weight 3.7 g, D - 21.5 mm, s - 1.85 mm; the edge is rounded and simple; Tolerances: nickel content -0.5%, weight ± 0.15 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.13 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Yarmila Trukhlikova-Spavakova.
- On the front side is an image of a Czech lion.
- On the back there is a denomination adjacent to a large Moravian pearl.
Five crowns
The Czech 5 CZK coin is also made of nickel-plated steel, but slightly larger in size than previous coins. Minted in 1993 and 1994 in the Royal Canadian Mint of Winnipeg, and since 1994 in the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - material: galvanic steel with nickel, magnetic; round shape; weight 4.8 g, diameter 23 mm, thickness 1.85 mm; flat edge; Tolerances: nickel content -0.5%, weight ± 0.15 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.13 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Jiří Harkuba.
- On the front side is an image of a Czech lion.
- On the reverse side is the face value against the background of a stylized image of Charles Bridge and the Vltava River; the linden leaf on the bridge symbolizes one of the towers of the bridge.
Ten crowns
Coin 10 CZK is made of galvanized steel. Put into circulation on May 12, 1993; 1995 edition in circulation from November 1, 2011. A 2000 version of the coin has also been released. It was minted in 1993 at the Hamburg Mint in Hamburg and since 1994 at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - material: galvanic steel with copper, magnetic; round shape; weight 7.62 g, diameter 24.5 mm, thickness 2.55 mm; milling edge with 144 grooves; Tolerances: nickel content -1%, weight ± 0.25 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.05 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Ladislav Kozak.
- On the front side is an image of a Czech lion.
- On the reverse side is the face value against the background of the Petrov National Monument in Brno.
- Differences between the options - the front side is changed, the initials of the designer are moved; in the original version, they were to the left of the large nominal number, and in the new version they are in the middle at the bottom of the coin.
Twenty crowns
Coin 20 CZK also has two versions. Both are covered with brass steel. On the one hand, just like all other coins have the symbol of the Czech lion, on the other side is depicted Saint Wenceslas, who rides his horse, similar to the famous statue on Wenceslas Square, in another embodiment, a fragment of an astronomical machine is depicted.
The 1993 version has been in circulation since May 12, 1993, there is also a 2000 version, three versions of 2018. Minted in 1993 and 1994 at the Hamburg Mint and since 1995 at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - material: steel coated with an alloy of 75% copper and 25% zinc and galvanically coated with an alloy of 72% copper and 28% zinc; magnetic; 13 sided; weight 8.43 g, diameter 26 mm, thickness 2.55 mm; with round and simple tolerances: alloy content ± 1%, weight ± 0.25 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.05 mm. Coin minted since 2012: material: steel coated with an alloy of 75% copper and 25% zinc and galvanically coated with an alloy of 70% copper and 30% zinc; magnetic; 13 sided; weight 8.43 g, diameter 26 mm, thickness 2.55 mm; Tolerances: alloy content ± 1%, weight ± 0.25 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.05 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Vladimir Oppl.
- On the front side is an image of a Czech lion.
- On the reverse side is the denomination adjacent to the figure of St. Wenceslas, which is based on a monument on Wenceslas Square in Prague; in the background is an inscription from this monument.
Fifty crowns
Coin 50 CZK version of 1993 is in circulation since April 7, 1993. Minted in 1993 and 1994 at the Hamburg Mint in Hamburg and since 1995 at the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou.
- Characteristics - bimetallic coin; material: steel plated and galvanized on a ring with copper and coated in the center with an alloy of 75% copper and 25% zinc; magnetic; round shape; weight 9.7 g, diameter 27.5 mm (center diameter 17 mm), thickness 2.55 mm; simple edge; Tolerances: copper content ± 1%, weight ± 0.25 g, diameter ± 0.1 mm, thickness ± 0.05 mm.
- Designed by sculptor Ladislav Kozak.
- On the front side in the center there is an image of a Czech lion, on the ring there is a denomination.
- The reverse side is a group of buildings typical of Prague in the center, with a Latin inscription on the ring.