Silver coin Cat Breeds - European Shorthair proof

The tenth silver coin from the Czech Mint’s Cat Breeds series features the European Shorthair.

This breed, which originated 2,000 years ago through the crossbreeding of the European wildcat and the African cat, which was brought to Europe by the Romans, is the prototype of the common feline. The difference between a domestic cat and a European cat lies in the pedigree breeders strive to maintain the breed in its original form to preserve its typical characteristics. Medium-sized European cats have a round head and short, close-lying fur in a wide variety of colors. They are hardy, undemanding, adaptable, and live to a ripe old age. They do not stand out in any way and stick to the golden mean. Their temperament tends to be very individual, some are affectionate, others reserved, but they are united by their curiosity in observing their surroundings. They tend to be territorial but are not aggressive.

On the reverse side of the coin, designed by medallist David Paulík, the European cat appears twice. The first depiction is colored, highlighting the coat’s hue. The second, which is embossed, shows a playing cat. The composition is completed by the Czech-English inscription EVROPSKÁ KOČKA – EUROPEAN CAT. On the obverse side, which is common to the entire series, you will find a silhouette of a cat and paw prints. Since the Czech Mint’s coins are issued with a foreign license from the island of Niue, the obverse side also bears its national coat of arms, the nominal value of 1 DOLLAR (NZD), and the year of issue 2026.

You can store all twelve coins from the cat series in a collector’s album, which is also available from the Czech Mint.

Breeder of the cat depicted on the coin and source of the photograph used: David Paulík