Silver coin ČNB 500 Kč Motorcycle Jawa 250 PROOF

2022
year

ČNB
issuer

40 mm
diameter

2,6 mm
thickness

0,8038 troy oz (25,00 g) Ag
weight

92,5% Ag
purity

PROOF
grade

20123 piece
mintage cap

500 CZK
nominal value

The five-year cycle of Czech National Bank silver coins with a face value of CZK 500, which commemorates famous means of transport, presents its second issue. The 2022 coin, which was struck in proof version, is dedicated to the JAWA 250 type 353 motorcycle.

In the 1950s, in accordance with the central plan of the so-called National Series, two of the most important Czechoslovak manufacturers - JAWA (Závody 9. května, national enterprise) and ČZM (České závody motocyklové, national enterprise) - were to participate in the development of motorcycles of uniform design of all volume classes under the joint brand JAWA-ČZ. ČZM was in charge of the 125, 150 and 175 cc classes, while JAWA was in charge of the 250 and 350 cc classes - mainly to ensure that the two manufacturers did not compete with each other. The JAWA 250 type 353 differed from its predecessor, the legendary post-war "Perak", by a number of improvements. Its distinctive feature was the rear swingarm, which the previous machines did not have and which earned it the apt nickname. The "Kyvacka" was not only powerful and reliable, but also elegant - in red with gold lines, it was exported to 120 countries around the world.

The author of the commemorative coin was medallist Petra Brodská, DiS. The expert committee of the Czech National Bank was particularly impressed by the "perfect representation of the motorcycle and its parts". While the obverse side of the coin presents a representation of Kyvacka from the side and above, the reverse side features a three-quarter view of the motorcycle accompanied by technical diagrams.

The coloured areas on the motorcycle were not created using the usual pad printing - instead, two-component synthetic enamels were used in the production process.

The hand enamelling of the 30,000 coins took 4,500 hours of work in two work shifts. It was carried out at six workstations equipped with precision enamel dispensers and heated workbenches that maintained conditions suitable for application. The work required extraordinary skill and care - a complete two-colour application on a single coin contains only five hundredths of a gram of enamel, while the smallest enamelled area, in the form of the handlebar grip, accounted for a barely imaginable one thousandth of a gram.