The authors of our coins include many exceptional personalities. Jiří Harcuba, a glass artist, medal designer and the author of the current 5CZK coin is one such rare masters. Czech Mint has decided to introduce numismatic collectors to his work and prepared a luxury set of three medals that Jiří Harcuba prepared for the Czech National Bank competitions along with an original replica.

Jiří Harcuba (born in Harrachov on 6 December 1928, died on 26 July 2013) learned glass engraving in Harrachov and then studied a glassmaking school in Nový Bor. He went on to study at the Faculty of Education in Olomouc. He completed his education at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. During his fruitful life, he created many coins, medals and glass relievos portraying famous celebrities. The most prominent ones of them include Comenius, Antonín Dvořák, Franz Kafka and Albert Einstein. As an Esperantist, he also designed the renewed Esperanto memorial in Františkovy Lázně.

The set contains three portrait medals – Gustav Mahler, Alfons Mucha and Josef Kajetán Tyl. Their obverse sides bear original portraits of these major artists, the reverse side is common to all three of them and bears the Muse motif. The fourth medal in the set replicates the original made on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the independent Czechoslovakia and capturing the events of 21 August 1968. The courageous design even cost Harcuba imprisonment. The set of four gold medals comes in a wooden box with theme engraving, a remembrance brochure and a certificate of authenticity. Set aside honorary position for this extraordinary homage in your collections – the sets will come to only 200 collectors!