Gold medal 770 years of Banská Bystrica proof

Banská Bystrica is celebrating 770 years since its first written mention. On this occasion, the Czech Mint pays tribute to it by issuance of a gold commemorative medal.

Banská Bystrica is situated in the very heart of central Slovakia, in the Slovak Ore Mountains on the Hron River. The first written mention of this town dates back to 1255, when the Hungarian king Béla IV granted it the right to mine raw materials. Thus he wanted to attract craftsmen from the developed areas of the Holy Roman Empire. His plan succeeded, and thanks to the immigrants, the town flourished. Silver, gold, iron, lead, and copper were mined here. The local mining company became one of the largest and most advanced in the world, with a sophisticated production organization, a huge complex of processing plants, a dense network of warehouses, and double-entry bookkeeping. Banská Bystrica was also a center of Protestantism and made its mark on modern Slovak history. The Slovak National Uprising, an armed resistance against the Nazi occupation, was declared here in 1944. After the liberation of the city and the end of World War II, Banská Bystrica once again became the economic and administrative capital of Czechoslovakia. At the same time, it was declared an urban conservation area, which abounds in historical monuments. Among the most valuable is the city castle complex with the churches of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross.

The reverse side of the coin, designed by medal maker Štěpánka Doležalová, depicts the town castle in Banská Bystrica together wth the tower of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary behind. On the obverse side, you will find the town's coat of arms surrounded by the inscription BANSKÁ BYSTRICA – 770 LET (Banská Bystrica – 770 years).

The gold mini-medal, weighing half a gram, is stored in special packaging decorated with a collage of historical photographs.