Silver Slovak coin 20 EUR 2021 100y since discovery of Demänov cave of freedom proof

A silver coin with a nominal value of 20 EUR was minted in quality proof to the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Demänov cave of freedom.

Demänov Cave of Freedom is a karst cave situated in the Low Tatras. It was discovered by the speleologist Alois Král in 1921, and since then it has become the most visited cave in Slovakia. It consists of domes, halls and corridors, the total length of which is almost nine kilometers. The rich karst decoration is still alive - glassy straws and thicker stalactites appear on the ceilings, stalactite waterfalls on the walls and more robust stalagmites on the bottom. In addition to stalactites, visitors can admire the underground river Demänovka and also the lakes that fill the hollows of the cave bottom. In the water you can find "cave pearls" or crayfish, which is a representative of the local tiny fauna. During the Pleistocene, however, the Demänov halls were inhabited by much larger animals, as evidenced by the findings of the bones of a cave bear.

Both sides of the euro coin, designed by medal maker Mária Poldaufová, present the karst decoration of the cave. The relief of the obverse side is supplemented with representatives of the cave fauna and the Slovak national emblem. On the reverse side, there is a snapshot capturing the discovery of the cave by Alois Král, supplemented with an inscription DEMÄNOVSKÁ JASKYŇA SLOBODY.

The coin was minted by the Mincovňa Kremnica Mint and issued by the National Bank of Slovakia.