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On September 23, the Czech National Bank issued a gold coin with a face value of 10,000 Czech crowns, dedicated to the 1,100th anniversary of the beginning of the reign of Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia. This coin pays tribute to one of the important figures who shaped Czech history and left a significant religious and cultural legacy in the country.
The reign of Wenceslas I
Wenceslas I, also known as Saint Wenceslas, was born around 907 into the Přemyslid dynasty, one of the most influential noble houses in the region. He was the son of Duke Vratislaus I of Bohemia and Drahomíra, and the grandson of Princess Ludmila, who played a fundamental role in his Christian upbringing. After the premature death of his father, Wenceslas inherited power while still young, necessitating a period of regency under the tutelage of his mother. Around 925, he fully assumed power as Duke of Bohemia.
His reign, although brief, left a profound mark on Czech history. Wenceslas promoted the consolidation of Christianity in a territory where pagan practices still persisted, promoting the construction of churches and strengthening ecclesiastical organization. He also established diplomatic and vassalage ties with the Holy Roman Empire, which placed Bohemia within the European political and cultural framework of the time and guaranteed a degree of stability in the face of external military pressures, especially from neighboring peoples.
However, his conciliatory policy and leaning toward Christianity caused internal tensions. Part of the nobility, reluctant to lose privileges and abandon pagan traditions, conspired against him. Finally, in 935, Wenceslas was assassinated in Stará Boleslav, the victim of a betrayal instigated by his own brother, Boleslaus, who was eager for power. His death was interpreted from very early on as a martyrdom for the faith.
Following his assassination, Wenceslas quickly became the object of popular veneration. Canonized shortly after, he became the patron saint of Bohemia and, over time, a symbol of Czech national identity. His memory transcended the political and religious spheres, taking root in popular culture and literary and musical traditions. Today, Saint Wenceslas Day, celebrated on September 28, is a national holiday in the Czech Republic, where both the ruler and the martyr who embodies the historical and spiritual origins of the nation are remembered.
The upper left corner of the obverse features a representation of St. Vitus Rotunda in Prague, the site of Wenceslas's execution. Below it is the emblem of the Přemyslids: a burning eagle on a shield. The inscription of the issuing country, "ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA," and the face value "10,000 Kč," separated by a period, appear on the right edge of the composition. Alongside these, the various heraldic animals of the country's large coat of arms are also depicted: the Czech lion, the Moravian eagle in the center, and the Silesian eagle at the bottom. The symbol of the Czech Mint, consisting of the letters "Č" and "M," is located to the right of the Moravian eagle.
The reverse of the coin features a depiction of Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia, from a fresco in the Rotunda of St. Catherine in Znojmo. He is depicted wearing a helmet, holding a banner and a shield. The year of issue "2025" is located above the banner, while the text "925" is located below the figure of Wenceslas. The right side of the composition shows two depictions of Wenceslas from the Velislaus Bible: the upper part shows Wenceslas kneeling while handing a sword to Boleslav, and the lower part depicts the scene of Wenceslas's murder at the hands of his armed servants. The text "KNÍŽE VÁCLAV" (DUKE WENCESLAW) is located along the left edge of the coin. The initials of the coin's designer, Zbyněk Fojtů, composed of the letters "F" and "Z", appear to the right of the text.
Technical characteristics
Issue date: September 23, 2025
Country: Czech Republic
Face value: 10,000 Czech crowns
Metal: 999.9 Gold
Design: Zbyněk Fojtů
Weight: 31.107 g
Diameter: 34 mm
Quality: BU and Proof
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