Silver coin Famous steam locomotives - Puffing Billy proof

The latest colorized silver coin from the Czech Mint’s six-part series titled Famous Locomotives takes us back to the very beginnings of steam traction. It features Puffing Billy, the great-grandfather of modern locomotives.

Great Britain is rightly considered the cradle of railways and the steam engine. It was here in 1804 that the first functional steam locomotive capable of traveling on rails was built. It is also home to the oldest surviving steam locomotive in the world, which was constructed between 1813 and 1814. It was called Puffing Billy. “Puffing Billy,” whose name entered common English usage to describe great power or effort, was a huge success in its day. It managed to replace the muscle power of horses and, for nearly half a century in northern England, regularly pulled 50-ton coal trains at speeds of up to 5 km/h. Throughout that time, it was repeatedly modified. It introduced many technical features that proved crucial for the future development of locomotives, and inspired a number of progressive designers—including George Stephenson, who went down in history as the father of the railroad. Today, Puffing Billy can be seen at the London Science Museum…

The reverse side of the coin, designed by medallist Mgr. Petr Horák, depicts the steam locomotive, whose realistic appearance was created using colorization technology. The name PUFFING BILLY is incorporated into the smoke rising from the chimney, and the composition is complemented by the English inscription THE WORLD’S OLDEST SURVIVING STEAM LOCOMOTIVE. On the obverse side of the coin, which is common to the entire series, you will find rail tracks and a tunnel. Since the Czech Mint’s coins are issued with a foreign license from the island of Niue, the obverse side also bears its national coat of arms, the nominal value of 1 DOLLAR (NZD), and the year of issue 2026.

You can store the complete collection of coins dedicated to famous locomotives in a collector’s album, which is also offered by the Czech Mint.