O nouă monedă comemorativă din Cehia - 13.06.2025

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Since its first flight in 1968, the Aero L‑39 Albatros has been much more than a training aircraft: it has become an emblem of Czechoslovak aerospace engineering. Today, more than half a century later, this icon of the skies is once again capturing the public's attention, this time from an unexpected source: a commemorative coin.

On June 11, 2025, the Czech National Bank (CNB) launched a 500 Czech koruna (CZK) silver coin dedicated to the L-39. The coin is part of the "Famous Means of Transport" series and stands out not only for its historical value but also for its technical and innovative character: it is the first coin issued by the CNB to incorporate a transparent optical element.

A technical and artistic design

The design was created by sculptor and medalist Zbyněk Fojtů, who was selected following an artistic competition. The obverse of the coin depicts the front view of the Aero L-39 aircraft, accompanied by a portion of the instrument panel, featuring an artificial horizon reproduced through an optical window. This element allows the three-dimensional silhouette of two aircraft to be seen when the coin is held up to a point light source or with the aid of a laser.

According to Karina Kubelková, a member of the CNB Board, “The Aero L-39 symbolizes first-class Czechoslovak aerospace engineering. This legendary aircraft has become both a technical and export icon, and deserved exceptional technical treatment.”

The reverse of the coin depicts two jets in flight and an inverted version of the artificial horizon instrument, a clear allusion to the coin's dual visual interpretation.

Issue details

A total of 30,000 units of this coin have been minted, divided into two versions: 10,760 in standard quality and 19,240 in proof quality, the latter with a mirror finish and matte relief. Each coin is made of an alloy of 925 thousandths of silver and 75 of copper, weighs 25 grams, and has a diameter of 40 millimeters.

Although their face value is 500 CZK, the selling price is higher, reflecting the current value of silver, production costs, and VAT. The coins were minted by Česká mincovna, as, in Jablonec nad Nisou, and are sold exclusively through authorized dealers. The CNB does not sell coins directly to the public.

 

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