Václav Havel 90 years - Gold ducat

Gold 1 ducat, commemorating Václav Havel’s 90th birthday, which he did not live to see, is being issued under the premium brand Czech Ducats, which is part of the Czech Mint.

Václav Havel first introduced himself to the public as a writer whose successful absurdist plays aptly highlighted the bureaucratization and dehumanization of a society living under totalitarian rule. After the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia, he became politically active and was deemed undesirable by the regime. Yet even Communist tyranny could not silence him, and so he took on the role of a leading global dissident. When massive anti-government demonstrations broke out in 1989, Václav Havel became their symbol and, shortly thereafter, the first non-Communist head of state since 1948. The fact that he was unanimously elected to this office - by a parliament composed largely of Communist deputies - was seen at the time as a small miracle. It was not only Czechoslovakia that was grateful to Václav Havel for his democratic efforts - this is evidenced by his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize and by the fact that he was the first leader from a country behind the Iron Curtain to address both chambers of the U.S. Congress. His unforgettable speech was interrupted 23 times by applause…

The design of the ducat, the work of Jiří Harcuba, is based on an artwork created by this renowned medalist in 1998 to mark the 5th anniversary of Václav Havel’s election as President of the Czech Republic. On the obverse, you will find a portrait of Václav Havel rendered in the artist’s unmistakable style. The statesman’s profile is surrounded by the text VÁCLAV HAVEL – FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC. The reverse side of the ducat is dominated by the famous quote TRUTH AND LOVE MUST PREVAIL OVER LIES AND HATRED. As was typical of Jiří Harcuba, each individual letter is a separate sculptural work.

The mintage consists of only 150 numbered pieces  - the number can be found on the reverse side. The sale of each ducat will support the charitable activities of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97.