The seventh gold coin of the Czech Mint from the series Armoured Technology commemorates the American tank M3 Stuart, which served during the Second World War.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, the USA began a large-scale modernisation of the army. The M3 Stuart light tank emerged after a series of combat vehicles developed in 1930 and for a time became the most important armoured vehicle in the American arsenal. Series production of the machine, which was much more robust than its predecessors, began in March 1941, with the design reflecting the wartime experience of the Europeans in 1939 and 1940. As soon as production capacity allowed, deliveries of Stuart tanks were also received by the British, who promptly deployed them against Rommel's forces in North Africa. Although the British tankers had reservations - complaining, for example, about the lack of a powerful gun - they took a liking to the nimble tank and began calling it Honey, or darling. The Stuart also served the Americans faithfully. Thanks to its small size, it proved particularly useful in the jungles of the Pacific, but it also made its way to China, the USSR and Yugoslavia. The tank was continually upgraded - riveted construction was replaced by cast and welded; the side machine gun turrets were removed to make room for a larger ammunition and fuel supply - but by 1943 it was declared obsolete. Alongside a successor designated the M5, which was the pinnacle of the American light tank development line, it began to be replaced by the M4 Sherman multi-purpose medium tank…

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is the work of medal maker Petr Patka, DiS., presents two depictions of the American tank - the three-quarter view is accompanied by a side silhouette. An inscription of the M3 Stuart and a detail of the tank belt complete the composition. The stripes can also be found on the obverse side of the coin, which is common to the entire tank series. As the licence to issue commemorative coins of the Czech Mint is granted by the Pacific island of Niue, the obverse side bears its necessary elements - the national emblem, the nominal value of 5 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2023.

The coin is set in a spectacular packaging in the form of a catalogue card full of period photographs, interesting facts and tactical data. Individual cards can be stored in a collector's binder which you can also find in the offer of the Czech Mint.