Slovakia's first brass 5-euro coin celebrates honey bees

A special collector coin brings nature and environment in focus.

New collector coin issued by the National Bank of Slovakia.New collector coin issued by the National Bank of Slovakia. (Source: NBS)

A honey bee decorates the latest edition of special collector coins whose aim is to bring into focus the diverse and rare animal species living in our country and their environment, endangered by pollution and human interference.

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The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), the country's central bank, launched the sale of the coin that is part of the Fauna and Flora in Slovakia edition on July 22.

The coin is unique in several ways. For example, it is the first coin with a nominal value of €5, and the very first one made of base metal, more specifically brass, instead of precious metals.

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The coin was designed by Karol Ličko. Currently, 45,000 collector coins have been minted and put on sale, but there is the possibility of minting more in the future. The number of collector coins one person will be allowed to buy is limited to 10. They are on offer at the cash desks of the NBS building in Bratislava, as well as in its branches in Nové Zámky, Banská Bystrica, Žilina, Poprad and Košice during opening hours.

Slovakia: Where the bees buzz and the honey flows Read more 

The NBS has been supporting activities focusing on the protection of nature for a long time. The motifs for the Fauna and Flora in Slovakia series were selected together with Bojnice Zoo and the Environment Ministry of the Environment.

“The selection of motifs took both the endangerment of the species and the education dimension as well as the attractiveness to collectors into consideration,” the NBS explained.

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With the new edition, the bank wants to address numismatists, collectors and the broad public, including children, and point to the necessity of protecting nature and the environment. This is why the bank set the value of the coin at €5.

Those not satisfied with the coin will be able to return it to the NBS, refunding their money.

Related article Special coins minted to commemorate Štefánik’s death Read more 

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