The fifth gold coin in the Czech National Bank's five-year cycle dedicated to the Municipal Heritage Reserves of the Czech Republic was issued on 30 May 2023.
The Municipal Heritage Reserves series celebrates the most precious historic town centres in the country — and Kroměříž represents the tradition of a Moravian episcopal city with one of the best-preserved Baroque ensembles in Central Europe.
Kroměříž, the seat and residence of the Olomouc bishops and later archbishops since the Middle Ages, reached its greatest flowering in the 17th century thanks to Bishop Karl II of Liechtenstein-Castelcorn: after the city's devastation in the Thirty Years' War, he commissioned its reconstruction in magnificent early Baroque style, summoned Italian builders and artists, and laid out the enchanting Lower Castle Garden and the unique Flower Garden (1665), one of the most authentically preserved geometric Baroque gardens in Europe. The Olomouc bishops also held the privilege of minting coins — the mint on Sladovnické Square, today the last surviving mint in Moravia, supplied the castle with a collection of ecclesiastical coins surpassed in scope only by the numismatic collection in the Vatican. Kroměříž also left its mark on constitutional history: in 1848, the Imperial Diet convened here and for the first time in the Austrian lands drafted a constitution limiting the power of the monarch. The Archbishop's Palace with its gardens has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998.
Obverse: The upper half of the obverse depicts part of the colonnade in the Flower Garden with heraldic animals from the Great State Coat of Arms — the Bohemian lion in the centre, the Moravian eagle to the left, and the Silesian eagle to the right. The lower half shows the shadows of the heraldic animals and columns. The inscription "ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA" runs along the upper edge; "MĚSTSKÉ PAMÁTKOVÉ REZERVACE" and the face value "5 000 Kč" appear along the lower edge.
Reverse: The upper half of the reverse presents a collage of Kroměříž's most significant architectural landmarks — from left, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Church of St Maurice, and the Archbishop's Palace; the lower half is dominated by the rotunda in the Flower Garden. The inscription "MĚSTO KROMĚŘÍŽ" and the year "2023" appear along the lower edge. The initials of the coin's designer — medallist Karolína Kučerová, DiS. — are placed along the lower edge of the coin.
The coin is struck in fine gold (Au 999.9/1000), weighs 15.55 g (½ oz), and the actual Proof mintage stands at just 9,132 pieces.
The coin is housed in a protective plastic capsule and supplied in a red plastic case together with the CNB accompanying card. Condition: flawless, never removed from the capsule.
The coin and accompanying card will be dispatched promptly within 2–3 working days of payment being credited to the bank account, via fully insured registered post (Czech Post).
Delivery within the Czech Republic; international shipping available upon prior arrangement and payment of postage.
EN — Technical Parameters
Issuer: Czech National Bank (CNB)
Face Value: 5,000 CZK
Series: Municipal Heritage Reserves (2021–2025)
Issue Number in Series: 5th issue
Date of Issue: 30 May 2023
Mint: Czech Mint
Designer: Medallist Karolína Kučerová, DiS.
Weight: 15.55 g (½ oz)
Diameter: 28 mm
Fineness: Au 999.9/1000
Quality: Proof
Edge: Plain
Mintage (Proof): 9,132 pcs
Packaging: Protective plastic capsule + red plastic case + CNB accompanying card