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250th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bernolák

€10 silver collector coin

Banknotes and coins, 250th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bernolák
Banknotes and coins, 250th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bernolák

Anton Bernolák (3 October 1762 – 15 January 1813) is one of the most notable figures in Slovak history and was a leading personality of Slovak national life in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a Catholic priest and prominent linguist who became the first person to codify the Slovak language. In addition, he was an active promoter of Slovak national life and education.

His linguistic works cover all aspects of the Slovak language, and in Dissertatio philologico-critica de literis Slavorum (Philological-critical dissertation on Slovak letters), published in 1787, he made the case for having a single codified Slovak language. In an addendum to that work, entitled Orthographia, he set out the first unified principles of Slovak orthography, and in the book Grammatica Slavica (1790) he describes the grammatical structure of Slovak. His scientific description of the Slovak language was completed with Etymologia vocum Slavicarum (1791), which focused on etymological aspects of the language.

  • Description of the coin

    Obverse:
    The obverse side of the coin depicts references to Anton Bernolák’s life and work – including the title page of his book Etymologia vocum Slavicarum, a facsimile of his signature, and a quill. On the left side is the state emblem of the Slovak Republic, positioned above the year 2012. The country name SLOVENSKO is written I the lower part of the coin.

    Reverse:
    On the reverse side of the coin there is a portrait of Anton Bernolák set in a textual composition that forms the titles of his works. The denomination 10 EURO is on the left side of the coin, and below the portrait there is written ANTON BERNOLÁK and the years of his birth and death 1762 – 1813. To the left of the portrait the mintmark of the Kremnica Mint and to the right are the stylised initials of the coin’s designer Pavel Károly.

  • Coin details
    Designer:Pavel Károly
    Composition:.900 silver, .100 copper
    Weight:18 g
    Diameter:34 mm
    Edge:TU MÁTE SLOVO MOJE O REČI VAŠEJ
    (HERE IS MY WORD ON YOUR LANGUAGE)
    Producer:Kremnica Mint
    Engraver:Dalibor Schmidt
    Issuing volume:5,200 coins in brilliant uncirculated quality
    6,950 coins in proof quality
    Issuing date:18 September 2012

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