Silver 10oz medal Patent of Toleration stand

The Czech Mint's silver medal weighing ten troy ounces commemorates the issuance of Joseph II's groundbreaking document, the so-called Toleration Patent.

When the Catholic Habsburgs won the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, the two centuries of religious diversity that the Hussite movement had started in the Czech lands came to an end. The violent recatholization that followed entered history as the Dark Ages. A change for the better came with the so-called Patent of Toleration, issued by Joseph II - the son of Maria Theresa and a supporter of the ideas of the Enlightenment in 1781. The fact that the Emperor allowed people to openly declare their Lutheranism, Calvinism and Greek Orthodoxy had mainly economic and political reasons. His aim was to prevent the emigration of wealthy, educated and capable Protestants, which was weakening the Habsburg economy. He also wanted to attract industrial experts, workers, craftsmen and engineers from the advanced Protestant countries - especially neighbouring Prussia, which was growing dangerously strong. Although the dominant position in society continued to belong to the Catholics, the toleration patent was the first step towards the establishment of religious freedom...

The obverse side of the commemorative medal, which is the work of academic sculptor Jan Lukáš, bears a portrait of Emperor Joseph II in profile with his characteristic hairstyle. The reverse side then presents the title page of the toleration patent accompanied by the date of its issue on 13 October 1781.

The schedule of issuance has only 99 silver medals.