The eighth gold coin of the Czech Mint from the series Armoured Technology presents the German PzKpfw V Panther tank, which served during World War II.

The situation on the Eastern Front developed in favour of the Soviets, who deployed the advanced T-34 machine at the end of 1941. The Nazi General Staff's response to the serious threat was the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther. Production of the medium tank was given top priority and the first units left the factory in 1943. At first glance, the German design took inspiration from the Soviet design - the Panther was equipped with bevelled armour, a long gun and wide tracks, giving it considerable protection, effective firepower and good mobility. Testing also revealed a number of shortcomings, but there was no time to fix them. In fact, Adolf Hitler decided that the new armoured vehicle will be deployed at the Battle of Kursk. The largest tank engagement in history ended in fiasco for the Panther due to frequent failures. Few machines traveled more than a few miles without mechanical problems - the suspension was unreliable and the engine was to catch fire quite often. The Panther's successful use was of little tactical significance and, moreover, prematurely revealed the direction of German development, allowing the Soviets to take the necessary countermeasures in time. Despite all this, the continuously improved Panther quickly became the best German tank of World War II. It excelled on the Western Front - in Normandy and the Ardennes it became the terror of Shermans, Cromwells and Churchills, which it dispatched even at a distance of one kilometre. But it could not avert the defeat of the Third Reich. Its numbers were insufficient and its consumption of scarce fuel too high…

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is the work of medal maker Petr Patka, DiS., presents two depictions of the German tank - the three-quarter view is supplemented with a side silhouette. A description of the PzKpfw V Panther 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 bears its necessary elements - the national emblem, the nominal value of 5 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2023.

The coin is stored 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 case, which you can also find in the offer of the Czech Mint.