Gold Coin 2500 CZK Brewery in Pilsen 2008 Proof

1/4 Oz gold coin - Cultural monuments of technical heritage - Pivovar Plzeň

On the obverse side of the coin is a composition of stylized heraldic animals from the great state emblem. In the centre is the Czech lion, on the right is the Silesian eagle and on the left is the Moravian eagle. Below the composition of the heraldic animals, brewery brewing pans are depicted in the cut-out. At the left, upper and right edges of the coin, the title of the cycle "CULTURAL MONUMENTS OF TECHNICAL HERITAGE" appears in an unsealed description. Between the composition of heraldic animals and the depiction of cooking pans is the name of the state "CZECH REPUBLIC". At the bottom edge of the coin is the denomination with the abbreviation of the monetary unit "2500 CZK". The Czech Mint mark is placed in the lower right corner of the cut-out with the image of the cooking pans.

On the reverse side of the coin is the right-hand door of the burgher brewery in Pilsen, behind which is a view of the brewery premises. Below the brewery gates is a row of brewery barrels in the cut-out. At the left and right edges of the coin is the unsealed inscription 'PIVOVAR V PLZNI', which is divided by the year of mintage '2008'. At the right edge of the coin are the initials of the author of the coin's design, academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, which are formed by the interconnected letters "FZ".

The right of the warrior was granted to 260 citizens of Pilsen by Wenceslas II in 1295. In 1307, a brewery was bequeathed to St. Bartholomew's Cathedral by Wolfram Zwinilinger. In the 14th century, all townspeople could brew and sell beer. In 1501, the town brewery is mentioned for the first time. However, the quality of the beer produced fluctuated greatly and in February 1838 the council even had 36 barrels of beer thrown out for being 'unfit for consumption and harmful to health'.

This unfortunate fact led to the decision to build a brewery on 2 January 1839 at a town meeting. Construction began on 15 September of the same year under the direction of Martin Stelzer. Three years later, the new Pilsen Brewery was completed.

The brewery was to brew Bavarian-type beer, for which Josef Groll was invited from Bavaria and employed as brewer. He brewed the first batch in the new brewery on 5 October 1842. It was brewed on 11 November and, although it was not quite as expected, it was a great success. The old recipe of this beer is now known and used all over the world as a Pilsner-type beer, rightly named after the place of its birth.

On 13 September 1946, the breweries were nationalised and united under the national company Plzeňské pivovary. On 1 June 1964, the brewery was transformed into the West Bohemian Breweries with its headquarters in Plzeň and the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery (for export). After the Revolution, the Plzeňské pivovary joint-stock company was established and finally registered in the Commercial Register as Plzeňský Prazdroj, a. s. on 1 September 1994.

On 30 September 2002, the merger was completed and Prazdroj absorbed Pivovar Radegast, a. s. and Pivovar Velké Popovice, a. s. under its own umbrella.

The new owner has introduced new production processes that have changed the characteristics of the beer, including the taste. In 2006, Prazdroj was granted a tax rebate of CZK 680 million by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

At the beginning of October 2008, two buildings on the premises of the Pilsner Brewery - the Jubilee Gate and the Water Tower - were added to the list of cultural monuments of the Czech Republic.

This product is part of the following product sets: