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On June 15, Slovakia will put into circulation a new commemorative 2 euro coin dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Czechoslovakia's victory in the 1976 European Championship, one of those sporting feats that have stood the test of time to become a legend.
The coin commemorates a triumph that belongs to the shared history of Czechoslovakia, but which Slovakia now reclaims from within the euro with an issue that is especially attractive to collectors, football fans and lovers of coins with a strong symbolic charge.
The final of that European Championship was played on June 20, 1976, in Belgrade. Czechoslovakia faced the powerful West Germany, the reigning European and world champions. The match ended in a 2-2 draw and was decided in a penalty shootout. It was there that one of football's most memorable moments was born: Antonín Panenka 's soft, chipped penalty down the middle, which gave Czechoslovakia the title and forever christened a particular style of penalty kick.
Half a century later, Slovakia commemorates that victory with a 2-euro coin that doesn't depict Panenka literally, but rather the spirit of that triumph: a right-profile footballer dribbling the ball, flanked by two laurel branches, a classic symbol of victory. Next to the figure is the inscription “MAJSTRI EURÓPY 1976”, which can be translated as “European Champions 1976”.
At the bottom is the name of the issuing country, SLOVENSKO, along with the year 2026. Also appearing are the initials MH, corresponding to the designer Matěj Hanuš, and the mint mark of the historic Kremnica Mint, one of the oldest numismatic institutions in Europe.
The issue will have a large mintage of 995,000 coins for circulation, plus an additional 5,000 proof coins, presumably intended for the collectors' market. This makes it an accessible coin, but with added appeal for those seeking more beautifully presented or higher-quality versions.
Beyond its technical specifications, this piece has a special appeal: it unites two worlds that often ignite similar passions: football and numismatics. It doesn't simply commemorate a sporting anniversary; it recaptures a moment that changed the language of football. Since 1976, saying "to take a Panenka penalty" immediately evokes a blend of composure, technique, and daring.
For collectors of commemorative €2 coins, the 2026 Slovakian coin has another point of interest: it joins the long list of European issues dedicated to major historical, cultural, and sporting events, but it does so with a theme of enormous popular recognition. You don't need to be a Central European football expert to understand the significance of that penalty kick. The "Panenka" is part of the sport's collective memory.
Slovakia has chosen a simple, direct, and highly legible design. The footballer, the ball, and the laurel wreaths encapsulate the message without cluttering the design. The coin doesn't aim to reproduce a specific scene from the final, but rather to summarize in a single image the pride of a victory that remains alive even today.
On June 15, when this new €2 coin begins its journey, it won't just be another piece added to collectors' albums. It will also be a reminder of a night in Belgrade when Czechoslovakia challenged a world champion and won with one of the most audacious gestures ever seen in a final.
Slovakia commemorative 2 euro coins
Commemorative 2 euro coins 2026
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