Gift coins and medals

Gift coins and medals

Coins have served as currency and medals as a commemoration of important events. However, their attractiveness due to their artistic processing and the value based on the precious metal content have made them extraordinary gifts that are guaranteed to surprise and delight.

Issuer

The issuer defines the difference between gift coins and medals. Coins are issued by the state by law. Gift coins of the Czech Mint are issued by the Pacific island of Niue, which provides the Czech Mint with a license to mint its own currency. The issuer of medals is usually a private company, such as the Czech Mint.

Necessary elements of the issuer

Gift medals are not legal tender, so they do not have any statutory requirements. However, the obverse sides of the Czech Mint's gift coins contain a portrait of the Commonwealth monarch Elizabeth II along with the name of the country (issued until 2022) or the coat of arms of the island of Niue (issued in 2023). Other elements of the obverse are the year of issue and the face value expressed in New Zealand dollars (NZD – the island is loosely associated with New Zealand). The nominal value is the amount that the coin holder receives when he or she requests an exchange at the central bank, which guarantees the repurchase of the coins. This is not a selling price - it is much higher for gift coins thanks to the precious metal used and top processing.

Schedule of issuance

In order to reach all interested parties, the schedule of issuance of gift medals is usually unlimited. The schedule of issuance of gift coins that must be limited for licensing reasons is still high enough and counts hundreds to thousands of pieces.

Metal

Gift coins and medals are minted from gold and silver. Their purity, i.e. the content of precious metal, is maximal - in the case of silver it is "999/1000", in the case of gold "999.9 / 1000". However, the purity of gift medals classified as gold ducats is different with regard to historical tradition. The purity of each product can be determined according to an accompanying certificate of authenticity. In some cases, the coins still bear the mark of purity and the medals are always provided with a corresponding hallmark, which is embossed on their relief.

Ducats and talers

The word ducat refers to a representative of a group of historical coins minted and used in the Czech Republic since the 14th century. The Czech Mint gave the same name to the modern medals, whose technical specifications and design are inspired by these period coins. They contain 3.49 g of ducat gold with a purity of 986/1000. Gift talers - contemporary silver medals – are inspired by historic silver coins from the 16th century.

Processing

Gift coins and medals of the Czech Mint are minted in quality "proof". These are mintages made with the help of special polished stamping dice with a mirror-shiny surface and a matte relief (this effect is usually shown as a dark reflection in the product photographs). Removal from the protective cover will devalue the quality proof. It will expose it to the touch, oxidation and other undesirable external influences.

Personification

Selected gift medals have an embossed relief on one side and on the other side there is an empty space for so-called personification – e.g. engraving of dedications in the form of text, shapes or even photographs. Unlike milling or engraving technologies, no material is removed during engraving, so there is no loss of the precious metal.

Target group

The gift mintages are dedicated mainly to important moments in a person's life that deserve special attention. Medals and coins can be also dedicated to newborn babies, newly married couple, graduates, but also for birthdays, out of love, for happiness and just for fun.