200 korun – 100th anniversary birth of director Karel Zeman

On 27 October 2010 the Czech National Bank is putting into circulation a CZK 200 commemorative silver coin to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karel Zeman. 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 coins 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 2.3 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 silver content of 1% are permitted.

The obverse side of the coin depicts a composition of figures from Karel Zeman's films – the sorcerer from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” at the front, John and Marie from “The Tale of John and Marie” on the left, and Sinbad from “A Thousand and One Nights” on the right. The denomination and abbreviated monetary unit “200 Kč” are located behind the figures on a film strip and the name of the state in Czech “ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA” is located above it. The mark of the Czech Mint in the form of the letters “Č” and “M” is at the right-hand edge of the coin adjacent to the figure of Sinbad. The reverse side also bears a composition of motifs from Zeman’s films – the submarine, the octopus and the cave from “A Deadly Invention” and the airship from “The Stolen Airship”. The inscription “KAREL ZEMAN” and years “1910–2010” are located in the middle of the coin field. The initials of the designer of the coin, Lenka Nebeská, made up of the letters “L” and “N”, are situated at the bottom edge of the coin.

Each coin comes with a violet catalogue card containing a description and the relief of the coin.