World bullion coins are often dedicated to the national symbols, therefore, the “Czech Lion”, is not an exception. The massive 3 Kilogram weight of this stunning silver coin has been struck in top quality proof finish and features an embedded security hologram.
In the Middle Ages, when all coins were made of precious metals, mint masters were afraid of counterfeiters who imitated their work to enrich themselves. Penalties were cruel at that time, and most of the criminals that were caught lost their lives.
The Czech Mint provides an innovative solution, their CZECH SECURITY PRIVY belongs to the latest of their preventive measures. It is an embossed hologram in the shape of a shield placed on the bottom of the reverse side of the coin. This hologram is not only a protective element, but also a decoration.
It is dedicated to a depiction of a Czech lion from the workshop of medal maker Asamat Baltaev, DiS. You do not need any specialized equipment to see the CZECH SECURITY CHECK protection element – it is visible even to the naked eye. Then you can explore it with simple, commonly available tools – a magnifying glass and a sharp spot light, for example, with a mobile phone flash.
When illuminated at a certain angle, a hidden “moving” figure appears in the shield. While the observation of a holographic security element is very easy, its production is extremely difficult, therefore, cannot be imitated easily. The hologram was processed by the highly specialized Czech company IQ Structures, which ranks among the world’s leaders in the field of holographic technologies. The engraving of the hologram into the precious metal is also extremely technologically demanding so that all its special effects – kinetic or colored – were preserved.
The reverse side of the coin is dominated by the Czech lion in an untraditionally realistic presentation with the St. Wenceslas Crown on its head along with the hologram security feature. The obverse side then bears an eagle on a shield, which is a synthesis of St. Wenceslas, Moravian and Silesian predators.
Since the coins of the Czech Mint are licensed by a foreign issuer, the island of Niue, their obverse sides bear its necessary attributes – the name and portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, a nominal value of 240 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2021.
The coin is stored in a luxurious wooden etui together with a booklet that will introduce the security element CZECH SECURITY CHECK and the history of counterfeiting.