The new series, prepared by the Czech Mint in cooperation with the Czech National Bank, presents the protected natural areas of the Czech Republic. The first set of circulation coins is dedicated to the Krkonoše National Park.

The Krkonoše Mountains are the highest mountain range in the Czech Republic - an isolated island of Nordic and alpine nature in the middle of the lowlands and hills of Central Europe. The unique mosaic of mountain ecosystems was created by a combination of thousands of years of natural processes and centuries of human activity. While on the foothills and slopes we encounter mountain forests, meadows and wetlands, on the ridges we encounter alpine grasslands, peat communities and lichen tundra. The diversity of the local flora is the greatest of the Central European mountain ranges. The mineral wealth of the Giant Mountains was also considerable. The discovery of precious stones and ores in the Middle Ages attracted many foreigners to the area, and glassmaking, which required large quantities of wood, spread along with mining. The clearings created by the clearing of forests were used for farm buildings, where the so-called buddars practised agriculture. With the rise of tourism, their dwellings were turned into tourist huts. However, the steep increase in the number of tourists led to significant damage to the Krkonoše nature. To protect the diverse landscape, exceptional natural values and rich history, the oldest Czech national park was established here in 1963. Its natural beauty, easy accessibility and sophisticated infrastructure have made KRNAP one of the five most visited national parks in the world.

The living and non-living beauty of the Krkonoše National Park is commemorated by a commemorative token from the workshop of Kristýna Šánová, DiS., which is an integral part of the set. “The upper part of the reverse side of the token belongs to the highest and most famous point of the park, which is Sněžka. The lower part of the reverse depicts three rare and protected plants of the Krkonoše Mountains - Arnica prha arnica, Bohemian bellflower and gentiana tolitova. Two of these flowers are located directly in the KRNAP logo. Since over 80% of the Krkonoše are covered by forests, I used the motif of the tree rings in the background, which I perceive as a symbolism of the National Park's coming years... The upper part of the obverse side is dedicated to the Mumlava Waterfall, which is one of the most massive in the Czech Republic. In the lower part of the obverse you will find three typical Krkonoše animals - the brown jumper, the European deer and the roan tit. Here, too, the motif of summer rings appears in the background,“ explains the medal maker. Of course, the set of circulation coins cannot be without currency - namely six metal coins with nominal values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 CZK. The individual coins bear the year 2023 and have never circulated.

All of this is set in a thematic packaging in the form of a booklet that presents the national park in words and pictures.