Gold coin ŠKODA - Laurin & Klement FC proof numbered

The triumphs of the Škoda brand in motorsport date back to the very beginning of Laurin & Klement car production. While competing in motorcycle races, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement realized that sporting success could easily be transformed into commercial prestige. That is why, shortly after starting car production in 1905, they embarked on the development of a dedicated racing machine. The legendary Laurin & Klement FC model is commemorated by the first gold coin from the Czech Mint's new collector's series.

The Laurin & Klement FC racing car, designed by chief engineer Otto Hieronimus, was built on the successful platform of the F-type passenger models. Between 1907 and 1909, 19 pieces were produced, differing in both engine and appearance. Under the hood, they had in-line four-cylinder engines with displacements of 2 to 2.5 liters with utilizing various combinations of bore and stroke depending on the specific race category. The rear wheels were driven by a three-speed transmission. The car manufacturer won nearly every race in which it entered one of its specials, which could reach speeds of up to 90 km/h. It dominated race tracks and reliability trials, rewriting world speed records and growing in reputation at a dizzying pace. In 1908, it took six first places, five second places, and one third place in the Zbraslav–Jíloviště hill climb race. In Ries, Austria, it achieved a double victory in the two-liter class, and Hieronimus himself confirmed the car's quality with a triumph in the 686-kilometer St. Petersburg–Moscow race. The FC also dominated the nine-day, 2,200-kilometer German Prince Heinrich's Tour. An unforgettable figure of this period was Count Alexander Kolowrat-Krakowský. A gentleman with Czech roots, a charismatic racer, visionary, and shareholder in the car company, nicknamed "Count Kilowatt," he formed a successful racing team with Hieronimus. Among other things, they won hill climb races in Semmering and Gaillon and indelibly inscribed the Laurin & Klement brand in the annals of world motorsport...

The reverse side of the coin, designed by medallist MgA. Martin Dašek, presents a full view of the car surrounded by the inscription LAURIN & KLEMENT FC 1908–1909. The composition is completed by a detail of the decorative manufacturer's label. As the coins of the Czech Mint are issued with the license of a foreign issuer, the island of Niue, their obverse side bears the necessary attributes – a portrait of King Charles III, the nominal value of 10 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2026.

The commemorative coin, which is stored in a themed packaging, is issued in a limited edition of only 200 pieces, each individually numbered on the edge.