Gold coin 5000 CZK City Monument Reserve II - Pilsen 2026 Proof

CITY MONUMENT RESERVATION II. - PILSEN

The gold coin issued by the Czech National Bank and minted in top quality Proof weighing 15.55 g (1/2 oz) in 99.99% gold purity is part of the City Monument Reservation II. series, which follows the previous series issued by the CNB in ​​2021 - 2025. The introductory coin of the series depicts the West Bohemian city of Pilsen.

The reverse of the coin in the polished version depicts the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew and part of the house U Červeného srdce on Republic Square. The background is complemented by a fragment of sgraffito plaster, which is complemented by the name "CITY OF PLZEŇ" and the year of issue "2026". The initials of the coin's author, academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, formed by a composition of the letters "ZF", are incorporated in the left part of the coin.

Proof, or First Class Quality, is a designation of the highest quality minting. The coins in this minting version have fields polished to maximum shine thanks to textile discs used to achieve this quality.

The obverse of the coin in the polished version shows part of the Renaissance town hall on Republic Square in the left part, while in the right part part of the city library building in Bedřicha Smetana Street. The center of the coin is formed by heraldic animals from the large state emblem - from top the Czech lion, Moravian eagle, Silesian eagle. The upper part of the coin shows the name of the country of origin "CZECH REPUBLIC", the lower part shows the name of the series "MĚSTSKÉ PAMÁTKOVÉ REZERVACE", the nominal value and the mark of the Czech Mint.

The historic core of the city of Pilsen was declared a city monument reserve in 1989. The royal city, originally called New Pilsen, was founded in the late 13th century as an important trade crossroads between Prague and Bavaria. Thanks to this, it became the third largest city in Bohemia. During this time, the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew with the highest Gothic church tower in the Czech Republic and the Franciscan monastery were built.
In 1420, Pilsen became a stronghold of Catholics and successfully resisted the siege of the Hussites led by Jan Žižka and Prokop the Holy. In the years 1431–1561, the Prague Chapter, the highest body of the Catholic Church in Bohemia, was based here. At the turn of 1599 and 1600, Pilsen was even the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, when Emperor Rudolf II stayed here before the plague.
During the Thirty Years' War, the city suffered economic and cultural decline, but still withstood Swedish sieges. In 1695, Jan Sladký Kozina, the leader of the Chod Uprising, was executed here.
In the 19th century, the city walls were demolished and today's Sady Pětatřicátníků was created. In 1839, the Municipal Brewery, today's Plzeňský Prazdroj, was founded, where brewer Josef Groll brewed the first batch of Pilsner-style beer in 1842.
During World War II, Pilsen was an important industrial center with the Škoda Works, which supplied the German army. The city was hit by eleven air raids with 926 casualties.
On June 1, 1953, the first mass anti-communist protests in the Soviet bloc took place here, triggered by the currency reform. In 2010, Pilsen was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2015.

Each gold coin is placed in a protective plastic capsule in a red box. The polished Proof version bears the gold CNB logo on the box. An integral part is the certificate of authenticity issued by the CNB.