Silver medal Christmas candy proof
Silver medal Christmas candy proof
Product description
The motif of the silver medal, which expands the Czech Mint's free gift cycle with Christmas motifs, is Christmas cookies.
The preparation of ceremonial pastries associated with winter holidays is as old as humanity itself. In pagan times, long before the advent of Christ, pastries in the shape of the sun or various animals were supposed to ensure the favour of powerful gods. On the winter solstice, they were hung on trees or in barns to protect against evil forces. Cookies retained their magical function even after Christianity spread throughout the world. They were supposed to ensure a good harvest, so according to superstition, they had to be baked only from flour that the farmer had prepared from his own harvest. Nothing was to go to waste – leftover dough was rubbed on trees to ensure they would bear abundant fruit, and the water used was given to livestock to ensure they would produce plenty of milk. Sugar cookies were also believed to strengthen human health, which is why they were flavoured with healthy ingredients such as honey and garlic. Children were not forgotten either – fruit figures were made for them to play with and then eat. Christmas cookies as we know them today did not appear until the 19th century and came to the Czech lands from neighbouring Germany. These were various types of tea biscuits, meringues and caramels. However, poor households had to go without. Luxury ingredients such as sugar, chocolate and rare spices such as vanilla and cinnamon were the preserve of the nobility and wealthy townspeople. Change did not come until between the world wars. Exotic ingredients became more readily available. Girls who served in bourgeois households brought all kinds of recipes to the countryside. Folk creativity knew no bounds, and during the 20th century, the Czech lands became a world power in the field of Christmas cookies. To this day, housewives compete to see who can bake the most varieties...
The reverse side of the medal, designed by medal maker David Kružliak, features what is probably the most popular Christmas cookie – slepované linecké in czech. While the dough is made of silver, the essential jam is represented by coloured enamel. On the reverse side, you will find not only other cookies, but also a recipe for linecké.
An integral part of the issue is a gift box, where you can write a dedication.