NEW CZECHOSLOVAK DUCATS ISSUED ON THE OCCASION OF THE 600TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF CHARLES IV, THE KING OF BOHEMIA AND THE EMPEROR OF ROME

1978 is the year in which the 600th Anniversary of death of Charles IV, the King of Bohemia and the Emperor of Rome is celebrated. As the Bohemian king he strived for an all-round development of the Bohemian kingdom, the strengthening of its centralized State power by promoting ekonomy and culture in the kingdom. Prague, being the seat of the Bohemian kingdom and temporarily also of the whole Roman empire, became in those days the largest town in Central Europe. With this status of Prague was also connected the foundation of the Prague University in 1348 that was of great significance for the cultural expansion of the Czech nation. In Prague, Charles IV built many curhces, reconstructed the Prague Kastle and bulit the stone bridge. Near Prague he bulit the Karlštejn Castle in which coronation jewels were deposited.

In memory of this significant anniversary, the Government of the ČSSR has decided to issue new Czechoslovak ducats with the theme devoted to Charles IV and the period of his reign. By thein theme, the artistic form and the technical parameters the new Czechoslovak ducats fully observe the historical conception and the tradition of ducats coined in the past. The technical parameters of individual ducat values, such as total weighe, content and fineness of gold and size, are stipulated direkt by law. They are minted in the following values: one-ducat coin, 2-ducat coin, 5-ducat coin, and 10-ducat coin. The issue amounts to 10 thousand pieces each for 2-ducat coin, 5-ducat coin and 10-ducat coin; one - ducat coins are coined in the amount of 20 thousand pieces in 1978 and in the following four years in the amount of 10 thousand pieces per annum.
The new Czechoslovak ducats are produced at the Kremnica State Mint in which the mintage has been carried out for already 650 years.

The one - ducat coin carries the portrait of Charles IV from that period, the Czech lion, the initials of Charles IV, and the years 1346 - 1378. This is the period in which Charles IV was the King of Bohemia and Rome, and later also the Emperor of the Roman Empire. His personality is connected with a significant advance in the field of ekonomy, politics, town-building, science and culture in our countries.
Gross weight 3,4909 grams, content of fine gold 3,4420 grams, diameter 19,75 mm, edge reeded.

The 2-ducat coin shows the royal seal of Charles IV to symbolize the state. The English translation of the Latin text „KAROLUS.DEI.GRA.ROMANOR.REX.SEMPER.AUGUSTUS.ET.REX.BOEMIE" is „Charles by the grase of god the king of Rome and the king of Bohemia". In that period the Bohemian countries acquired legal imunity against the Roman empire. This privilege gained by the countries of the Bohemian crown was laid down in the so-called Golden Bull of 1356. The Bohemian king was the sovereign of the countries of the Bohemian crown.
Gross weight 6,9818 grams, content of fine gold 6,8848 grams, diameter 25 mm, edge reeded.  

The 5-ducat coin shows the leitmotiv of the seal of the Prague University from mid-14th-century, with Charles IV handing over the foundation documents of the University to the Duke Wenceslas. The historical testimony reveals that the University was founded by Charles IV, above all, for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Bohemian kingdom. The foundation of this University was quite an event in those days, because there existed only a few universities in Europe. The symbols of individua contemporary faculties underline the development of culture in our countries up to this day.
Gross weight 17,4545 grams, content of fine gold 17,2120 grams, diameter 34 mm, edge reeded.

The 10-ducat coin depicts the panorama of the Hradčany Castle and the coat of arms of the city of Prague with the legend „PRAGA MATER URBIUM" to remember some important architectonic and urbanistic achievements during the regin of Charles IV. This connection with the coat of arms of the City of Prague stresses socialist contemporaneity and the attention of a socialist country devoted to architectonic sights in Prague.
Gross weight 34,9090 grams, content of fine gold 34,4240 grams, diameter 42 mm, edge reeded.

price of that coins is in Catalogue

The coin is not legal tender.
The coin is not shown in its true size.
The price does not include postage and handling.
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