The lucky penny was given to newborns by our ancestors. In the families of rich noblemen and poor peasants, the baby was usually given a talisman in the form of a coin made of precious metal by the godfather or godmother. The coin was placed into 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 "wine 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 which people quickly grew to love for this purpose, and today the Czech Mint follows this tradition. For example, this silver thaler with a stork motif.

In ancient times, storks were an object of worship 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 it was a caring parent who devotedly tended its offspring. The superstition has survived into modern times, and for hundreds of years has helped parents avoid delicate conversations with older siblings of newborn children. 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...

Lenka Nebeská, DiS., the medal maker, dedicated the reverse side of the silver thaler to the stork carrying a little knot in its beak. The obverse side presents a baby sleeping in a scarf.

Do not miss other variants of the baby birth token - in our offer for 2024 you will find two different precious metals, two different artistic motifs and special variants on which a dedication can be engraved. You can learn more about baby gifts on our thematic website: promiminko.ceskamincovna.cz