The eleventh gold coin of the Czech Mint from the series Armoured Technology commemorates the British Mk VI Crusader tank that served during the Second World War.

The interwar British concept of cruiser tanks was based on the experience of the First World War. Once artillery or heavier tanks had created breaches in the enemy's defences, these nimble machines were tasked with penetrating behind their lines. In order to reach high speeds, their armour protection had to be sacrificed. One of the main cruiser tanks of the Second World War was the Mk VI Crusader, which the British Army ordered to be built in 1939. The distinguishing feature of this armoured tank was its very low silhouette, which, combined with its high mobility, predestined it for offensive operations. The Crusaders could quickly close to the enemy to a distance of 500 meters and then open effective fire. However, they were unsuitable for defensive combat due to their weak riveted armour. They were also plagued by other shortcomings resulting from hasty development, and many tanks fell victim to mechanical failures during their first combat deployment. Substantial criticism from tankers concerning the cramped interior space and weak armament was then taken into account in successive upgrades. Despite the imperfections, the Crusaders formed the backbone of the British armoured forces in the North African campaign in 1941 and 1942, where they contributed to the final Allied triumph. However, once they were replaced by the American Lee and Sherman tanks, they were withdrawn from the arsenal of frontline troops. They were subsequently employed by training units and special purpose variants - anti-aircraft or engineer - took part in the fighting in Western Europe. A total of 5,300 of the various variants were produced.

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is the work of the medal maker MgA. Martin Dašek, presents two depictions of a British tank - the three-quarter view is supplemented with a side silhouette. An inscription of the Mk VI CRUSADER and a detail of the tank belt complete the composition. The stripes can also be found on the obverse side of the coin, which is common to the entire tank series. As the licence to issue commemorative coins of the Czech Mint is granted by the Pacific island of Niue, the obverse bears its necessary attributes - the national emblem, the face value of 5 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2024.

The coin is set in a spectacular packaging in the form of a catalogue card full of period photographs, interesting facts and tactical and technical data. Individual cards can be stored in a collector's binder, which you can also find in the offer of the Czech Mint.