Silver medal Loket Castle proof
Silver medal Loket Castle proof
The product can also be purchased directly in the stores of the Czech Mint
Silver medal Loket Castle proof
The Romanesque-Gothic style Castle Loket (in Czech the name means an elbow) was most likely founded in the third quarter of the 12th century during the reign of king Vladislav II on a rocky hill above the Ohře river, where an old Slavic fortification Old Loket once stood. The castle and the adjoining town were named after a large bend of the river below, which is shaped like an elbow. The bend is mirrored in the groundplan of the castle.
Soon after completion Loket Castle served as a refuge to king Wenceslas I during conflicts with his rebellious son, future king Ottokar II of Bohemia (in Czech Přemysl Otakar II). Czech Přemyslid rulers and their families often resided in the castle which also served as a venue for significant diplomatic meetings.
On the obverse side, the side view of the castle is depicted resembling an elbow which is featured below. The elbow is the main symbol of the castle and town, and this shape is enhanced by untraditional placement of text on the medal – at right angle.
The type of letters used on the reverse side of the medal is similarly untraditional – it forms an uneven circumscription, this time in the shape of a coat-of-arms. The oldest Přemyslid symbol was used on the reverse side – a flaming black female eagle. The female eagle is a symbol of the ruler’s power while eagle ablaze designates the ruler’s privilege to announce his arrival to the Imperial Diet, i.e. to the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, by setting the villages in the vicinity of the venue of the assembly on fire. On the medal, the characteristic black colour of the female eagle is achieved by contour design of the eagle whose body looks dark on the shiny base.
Limited edition of 1,000 pcs.