Our ancestors gave the lucky penny to the newborns. In the families of rich noblemen and poor peasants, the baby received a talisman in the form of a coin made of precious metal, usually from the godfather or godmother. The coin was placed in the cradle, giving rise to the phrases "in the wrapper" and "in the swaddle", which are still used today in connection with baby gifts. The fashion for "cradle coins" flourished in the Czech lands in the Renaissance era, and after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the state began to issue the so-called St. Wenceslas ducats whose tradition is followed by the Czech Mint today. In 2025, it is through the gold ducat with a stork motif.

In ancient times, storks were worshipped all over the world. The noble feathered creatures symbolised piety and justice in ancient Egypt, immortality in China and they brought new life in Europe. The Germanic pagans believed that it was not only frogs that lived in the marshes, which were a favourite delicacy of the stork, but also the souls of unborn children. The storks hunted these souls and placed them in the bodies of the future mothers. Weddings then took place at the celebration of the summer solstice at the end of June, and when the storks returned home from the warm lands in the spring, many newlyweds were about to give birth. The notion of the stork bearing children was aided by the fact that te stork itself was a caring parent who devotedly tended his offspring. The superstition has survived into modern times, and has helped parents avoid delicate conversations with older siblings of newborn children for hundreds of years. Where did the baby come from? A stork brought it! Why is Mommy lying in bed? A stork pecked her! The children were happy to accept that explanation...

Medal maker Veronika Prokopová, DiS., donated the reverse side of the gold ducat to the stork carrying a little knot in its beak. The obverse side then presents a flying carriage, which is floated by balloons.

Don't overlook the other variants of the birth coin - in our 2025 offer you will find two different precious metals and special variants that can be engraved with a dedication. You can learn more about baby gifts on our thematic website: promiminko.ceskamincovna.cz