2016 Crystal Coin - Happy Birthday

The first written mention of glassmaking in Bohemia dates back to 1162, though the most famous period of Czech glassmaking only came at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. That was when the baroque era glassmakers first made the "Bohemian crystal" – sturdy glass decorated by cutting and engraving whose exceptional sheen and physical properties resemble natural crystal.

With their unique discovery, Bohemian glassmakers overshadowed the Venetian glass, which had been peerless until then, and gained an unrivalled position on the European markets. Even though the secret of making the Bohemian crystal was divulged over time, the Bohemian glass conquered the world.

The town of Jablonec nad Nisou played an important role in the expansion of glassmaking, accounting for 65 % of the global production of glass jewellery towards the end of the 19th century, and the industry employed more than 30,000 people.

The 20th century started in a grand style for the Jablonec area as well since the amount of taxes that the town's entrepreneurs paid to the Habsburg monarchy in 1911 equalled the taxes collected for the entire land of Dalmatia!

Jablonec also became the mint town at the end of the 20th century. It is home to the Czech Mint, a company with its roots in the glass jewellery industry and the Czech Republic's exclusive supplier of both circulation and commemorative coins. It was just a matter of time until the strengths of both industries would combine.

This came to fruition in the works of art from the new CRYSTAL COIN series that marries a plethora of emotions. The wealth of shapes and the unique lustre please both the eye and the soul and demonstrate that Czech glassmakers, glass cutters and medal makers are true masters of their respective crafts!