Gold half-ounce medal Edition of four Prague Articles proof

Gold half-ounce medal Edition of four Prague Articles proof

Stock state
Sold out
Date of issue
July 2020
Mintage
99 pcs

The product can also be purchased directly in the stores of the Czech Mint

Product description

We commemorate the 600th anniversary of the edition of four Prague articles in 2020. On this occasion, the Czech Mint issued the half-ounce gold medal, which is part of a free cycle of the most beautiful unrealized proposals that entered the competitions of the Czech National Bank.

The first defenestration, which took place in Prague in 1419, initiated
the Hussite wars, in which all social strata of the Czech state were involved. Although the interests of the individual Hussite parties, nobility, cities and serf population differed, they managed to formulate a common program right at the beginning of the revolution. Four Prague articles - political and religious - aimed to reform the church and Christian society. They demanded a free interpretation of the Bible, including preaching in the national languages and without priests; communion under both kinds - bread and chalice; the end of the secular reign of priests who were to be deprived of property; and equal penalty of deadly sins regardless of the social status of sinners. The articles published in 1420 were the result of fifty years of effort by reform theorists as Jan Viklef, Jan Hus and Jakoubek of Stříbro, and Prague university masters played a significant role in their formulation. They became the basic law of the Hussite movement, but due to their revolutionary character they could never be fully applied - even Hussite priests did not intend to give up secular estates and influence, and equal criminal responsibility for the nobility and subjects was unthinkable in the medieval world of three adivisions among the people. Only one article was approved - the Czechs were granted communion under chalice.

The artistic design processed by the medal maker
MgA. Josef Oplištil served as a proposal for the commemorative medal. Josef Oplištil won the second place in the Czech National Bank competition. The composition of the obverse side evokes a medieval document with four seals. The individual ribbons bear the inscriptions FREEDOM OF SERMON, COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS, THE END OF THE REIGN OF PRIESTS and EQUAL PENALTY OF SINS. The respective "seals" contain scenes that characterize the individual articles - the lay preacher, bread and chalice, crossed out wealth and the king, together with the serf, who kneel before blind justice. The composition of the reverse side corresponds to the obverse side - the heraldic animals of the Czech Republic are placed in the individual "seals", supplemented with the inscription TRUTH OF GOD WINS.

The schedule of issuance counts only 99 pieces. Each medal is hand-numbered on the edge and accompanied by a special certificate of authenticity, which describes the importance of four Prague articles.

Specifications

Code
31503-631
Issuer
Czech mint
Author of the obverse
MgA. Josef Oplištil
Author of the reverse
MgA. Josef Oplištil
Numbered issue
Yes
Certificate
No
Fineness
999,9 / 1000
Weight
15.56 g
Diameter
28 mm
Packaging
Burgundy leather case
Capsule
Yes
Czech Mint
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