The Heritage April 22nd Spotlight: Czech and Czechoslovakia Auction spans the 16th-21st centuries with a concise, curated selection of coins – including runs of trade ducats, interwar medallic gold and silver, and a handful of modern post-war commemoratives. Consignment deadline for this historic event is March 10.
The conclusion of the First World War brought about an era of rebuilding to the newly fractured European continent, leading to the creation of numerous sovereign states that had once been associated with Austria-Hungary. One of the nine countries to proclaim independence was Czechoslovakia, encompassing much of Bohemia and Moravia and including the cultural center of Prague. While the formation of a country and its national identity lies with the people and its politicians, artists and their works help solidify these notions and can be seen on the unique and instantly recognizable coins and banknotes of Czechoslovakia.
Designs utilized by the Kremnica mint during the interwar period of 1918-1939 are unlike any other contemporary European issue. These issues show clear influence from the country’s capital Prague, known for centuries as an avant-garde art and design center of Europe.
The trade and commemorative gold coinage produced during this time perfectly embodies this melding of cultural icons and contemporary genres of art being developed across the country. These pieces specifically were done in the Art Deco manner, featuring simplified stylistic renderings of folk heroes such as Wenceslaus and St. Katherine of Alexandria. While some issues bear the standard Bohemian lion, the 1934 series commemorating the re-opening of the Kremnitz mines–engraved by local medalist Anton Ham–is considered one of the most visually engaging and true-to-form use of the Art Deco style examples of contemporary coinage. Other notable examples of the period employ a similar aesthetic, as seen in the British issues of Percy Metcalfe and French issues of Lucien Bazor.
Examples from this brief but distinctly unique period in Czech numismatic history regularly come up for sale at Heritage Auctions, inspiring the creation of our first thematic auction for this material.
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