The Czech Mint's half-ounce gold coin from its free series commemorating important figures in world history features Leoš Janáček. He has been added to the hall of fame in a fitting year, as the international classical music festival in Janáček's native region celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Leoš Janáček was born in a Moravian village in the mid-19th century, and no one could have guessed how significantly he would influence 20th-century world music. However, his extraordinary talent was already evident in his childhood. As a boy, he sang in the choir of the church in Hukvaldy and was subsequently accepted into a Brno foundation for musically gifted boys from poor families. His studies at the Augustinian monastery enabled him to continue at the organ school in Prague and at conservatories in Leipzig and Vienna. However, his destiny was Brno, where his tireless activities contributed to the fundamental development of cultural life. He founded an organ school there, worked as a conductor, and began composing his own works. Perhaps no other composer in history was so sharply rejected at first and later recognized. Some considered him an amateur who did not understand real composition, while others appreciated him as one of the most progressive representatives of modern music. His style was distinctive and original. His unusual melody, which drew inspiration from folk music of the Moravian regions, was particularly appreciated. His exceptional empathy, which was multiplied by a series of personal misfortunes, was also fundamental. Proof of the composer's ability to empathize with tragic characters and situations is Její pastorkyňa (The Maid of Pilsen) – the first opera ever written to a prose text. Although it was rejected by the National Theater in Prague, the premiere in Brno was a huge success. When critics in the capital finally recognized that Janáček was not just an eccentric folklorist, the Prague performance of Jenůfa paved the way for the Czech composer to conquer the world...

Medal maker MgA. Jakub Vlček dedicated the reverse side of the coin to a distinctive portrait of Leoš Janáček in profile. The musical fragments covering his face represent the composer's flow of thoughts. The obverse side is best described by the author himself: "The empty stave symbolizes the composer's initial thinking. This is followed by his handwriting, notes written quickly as the ideas came to him. The rectangle bearing the issuer's details represents a book – a collection of compositions." As the Czech Mint's coins are issued with a foreign license from the island of Niue, they bear its national emblem, the nominal value of 25 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2025, on the obverse side.

The coin, which is issued in a limited mintage of only 100 pieces, is supplemented with a pictorial certificate of authenticity. Each piece is also numbered on the edge.