200 korun - 150th anniversary - Birth of composer Gustav Mahler

On 9 June 2010, the Czech National Bank is putting into circulation a CZK 200 commemorative silver coin to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest Czech composers Gustav Mahler. The coin is minted from an alloy containing 900 parts silver and 100 parts copper and is issued in two versions, normal quality and proof quality, which differ in surface treatment and edge marking. Proof-quality coin have a highly polished field, a matt relief and a plain edge with the inscription “ČESKÁ NÁRODNÍ BANKA * Ag 0.900 * 13 g *”. Normal quality coins have milled edges. The coin is 31 mm in diameter, weighs 13 g and is 2.35 mm thick. As with any other coins, deviations in diameter of 0.1 mm and thickness of 0.15 mm are allowed. Upward deviations in weight of 0.26 g and the silver content of 1% are permitted.

The obverse side of the coin features a transcription of the “Adagietto” from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony on a music paper. The denomination and abbreviated monetary unit “200” and the mark of the Czech Mint are positioned below the score. The name of the state “ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA” is located around the left-hand of the coin. The obverse side of the coin was designed by Miroslava Česlová. Her initials – the letters “ČM” placed one above the other – are situated at the right-hand bottom edge of the score. The reverse side of the coin features a portrait of Gustav Mahler. On the edge of the collar of the portrait is the signature of the composer “GUSTAV MAHLER”, and the anniversary years “1860 – 2010” are written across the collar. The initials of the designer of the coin, Josef Oplištil – made up of the intertwined letters “OJ” – are located at the bottom edge of the coin below the year “1860”.

Each coin comes with a light-pink postcard-sized catalogue card. The relief of the coin is dry-stamped through silver foil. The text is given in Czech and English. The card is the same for the normal-quality and proof-quality coins.