Set of four silver medals 2026 - Restrikes of Charles IV ducats

A set of four silver restrikes from the Czech Mint commemorates the Charles ducats, whose history represents a remarkable chapter in Czechoslovak numismatics.

In 1978, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the death of Charles IV, the so-called Charles IV ducats were created, following in the footsteps of the highly successful St. Wenceslas ducats from the First Republic. These were the first gold coins issued in socialist Czechoslovakia since 1951. Designed by leading medalists, who collectively submitted 133 proposals, they were minted for the Czechoslovak State Bank by the State Mint in Kremnica. The main reason for their creation was revenue from sales both domestically and abroad. While the two-ducat, five-ducat, and ten-ducat coins were minted only in 1978, the ducat was produced with the years 1978–1982. The limited mintage was set at 20,000 ducats for the 1978 issue and 10,000 pieces each of the two-ducat, five-ducat, ten-ducat, and ducat coins for subsequent years. However, the actual numbers were ultimately much lower. A combination of an inflexible pricing policy that failed to respond to fluctuations in the price of gold and subsequent regime changes meant that interest was not as high as expected. In 1997, the stock of Charles I ducats bearing the obsolete emblem of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was officially destroyed, and partly because of this, these coins are now considered numismatic treasures… Each issue paid tribute to a different aspect of the Father of the Nation’s reign: The reverse sides of the individual silver issues from the Czech Mint, which are replicas of the original Charles IV ducats, feature a bust of Charles IV, the monarch seated on the throne, the seal of Charles University, and Prague landmarks. The obverse sides bear the coat of arms of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic or the denomination. All replicas were designed by medallist Mária Filová, DiS.

• Ducat by medallist Petr Formánek – Personality

• Two-ducat coin by medallist Andrej Peter – Statehood

• Five-ducat coin by medallist Zdeněk Kolářský – Education

• Ten-ducat coin by medallist Zdeněk Kolářský – Architecture

The four newly minted silver coins are housed in a luxurious wooden case. The mintage consists of only 80 complete sets.