Rákosníček first appeared on television screens in 1976, and an incredible 50 years have passed since then. The character, born in the mind of the famous animator, can be found on the first silver coin from the Czech Mint’s three-part miniseries titled Zdeněk Smetana’s Fairy-Tale World.

“He has something of a frog, something of a water sprite, but while drawing him, I also had furry little animals in mind,” is how Zdeněk Smetana described how Rákosníček came into being. He gave the restless little green man a short coat, big ears, an even bigger nose, and hair sticking up like antennae. “I drew seven of them and then had to stick to it, because kids notice everything,” Rákosníček’s creator recalled with a laugh. It’s not just the elf’s appearance that’s unmistakable, but also his voice. “In most cases, the finished cartoon is dubbed, but we did it the other way around. Director Smetana would always tell me the characters’ traits, and I would come up with voices for them. We recorded it, and only then did they draw it. I was just as curious as the TV viewers to see how it would turn out,” revealed Jiřina Bohdalová, adding that she was inspired by the chatter of children she overheard in a sandbox.

The coin was designed by medalist Eva Prousková, DiS., who created a faithful relief reconstruction of Zdeněk Smetana’s work. On the reverse side, you’ll find the cheerful Rákosníček, who deftly balances on a ball. Since the Czech Mint’s coins are issued under a foreign license from the island of Niue, the obverse side features a portrait of King Charles III, the nominal value of 1 DOLLAR (NZD), and the year of issue 2026.

An integral part of the silver coin is a special collector’s album, where you can store the complete collection of three fairy-tale coins.