Silver coin Mythological figures - Vampire stand

The ninth silver coin from the Czech Mint’s series titled Mythological figures depicts a bloodthirsty vampire.

Vampires prowl the night, entering darkened houses to suck the blood from their unfortunate victims. This is how they gain their life force. At dawn, they return to their tombs, where they hide from sunlight, which is deadly to them. Time means nothing to these bloodthirsty creatures—they do not die of old age, and it is very difficult to kill them. Anyone who crosses paths with them will need not only courage, but also garlic, a crucifix, holy water, a wooden stake, or a silver bullet… The modern image of a pale, gaunt, often sophisticated, even aristocratic vampire is the product of 19th-century literature—particularly the famous 1897 novel Dracula by Irish writer Bram Stoker. However, people have feared vampires for centuries. Did creatures that rose from their graves and fed on human blood really exist? There is a theory that in the past, people suffering from some rare or exotic disease—such as porphyria, which is characterized by sensitivity to light, receding gums, and blood clots—were mistakenly considered vampires. A lack of understanding of natural decomposition processes may also have played a role. When a deceased person’s body is placed in a grave, their skin shrinks, and it may appear that their teeth and nails have grown longer. Internal organs decompose, and a dark fluid may ooze from the corpse’s mouth. If someone opened the coffin and saw the deceased in this state, their imagination ran wild…

The reverse side of the coin, designed by medalist Roman Šamiljan, depicts a vampire as we imagine him today—with an aristocratic profile, bared fangs, and an extravagant robe. In the background, tombstones illuminated by the full moon are silhouetted. Since the license to issue commemorative coins for the Czech Mint is provided by the Pacific island of Niue, the obverse side bears its national coat of arms, the noominal value of 2 DOLLARS (NZD) together with the year of issue 2026. These essential attributes are surrounded by the natural elements such as rocks, clouds, trees, and waves. The details of the relief are accentuated by patina.

You can store the complete twelve-piece collection of coins featuring characters from the realm of myths, legends, and fantasy in a collector’s album, which is also available in our selection.