The year 2023 marks 100 years since the first blood transfusion in Slovakia. This anniversary is commemorated by a Slovak commemorative coin sealed in a collector's card.

There were only two hundred doctors in eastern Slovakia in 1920. One third of them worked in Košice with a relatively large hospital. There were few Slovak doctors, however, this does not mean that they were not of scientific capacity. This was proved by MUDr. Ján Kňazovický, whose name is linked with the development of vascular surgery in Košice. He performed the first blood transfusion in Slovakia in 1923 and thus became a Czechoslovak pioneer who saved countless lives. The highest Slovak award given to blood donors pays tribute to the man who operated until he was nearly ninety years old. The medal of Ján Kňazovický is awarded to men for 100 and women for 80 non-contributory blood donations…

Medal maker Mária Poldaufová dedicated the obverse side of the coin to a symmetrical composition of blood drops and tubes. She placed a cross with symbols of blood groups in the middle of the image. The text on the obverse side states PRVÁ TRANSFÚZIA KRVI, 1923-2023, SLOVENSKO. The reverse side then presents all the elements of a valid coin with a nominal value of 2€.

The base metal commemorative coin was minted by the Slovak Mint Mincovňa Kremnica and issued by the National Bank of Slovakia.