Results of the public anonymous competition for the design of a 10-euro silver collector coin commemorating the 20th anniversary of Národná banka Slovenska

Reduced first prize cena
Mária Poldaufová

Reduced second prize and the selected reverse side design
Mgr. art. Roman Lugár

Reduced third prize
Štefan Novotný

Fourth prize and the selected obverse side design
PhDr. Kliment Mitura

In November 2011 Národná banka Slovenska announced a public anonymous competition for the design of a 10-euro silver collector coin commemorating the 20th anniversary of Národná banka Slovenska (NBS). A total of thirteen designs were entered in the competition, which was judged by the Committee for the Assessment of Designs for Slovak Euro Coins. According to the Committee, none of the designs fully satisfied the thematic or artistic criteria, and therefore it did not award any prizes or recommend any of the designs for the commemorative coin. When the competition was rerun in March 2012, the designers of the top four entries from the first competition (Mária Poldaufová, Mgr. art Roman Lugár, PhDr. Kliment Mitura and Štefan Novotný) were invited to take part again, and other entries were also accepted. A total of ten designs by eight designers were entered in the competition and they were judged by the Committee in May 2012. Since the coin commemorates the establishment of NBS, no external experts were invited to advise the Committee and, furthermore, the NBS Bank Board gave its opinion on the designs.

A design by Mária Poldaufová was recommended by the Committee for the first prize and for the coin design. The entries recommended for the second and third prizes were by Mgr. art Roman Lugár and Štefan Novotný respectively.

The NBS Governor, however, exercised his right under the terms of the competition to set aside the Committee’s recommendation. For the obverse side of the coin, he approved, with the authorisation of the NBS Bank Board, a design by PhDr. Kliment Mitura, which was awarded a special fourth prize. This design impressed the Bank Board by how it depicts the theme and conveys Slovakia’s inclusion in the euro area, the global significance of the euro, and the standing, importance and role of Národná banka Slovenska. The reverse side by Mr Mitura was deemed not to capture the given theme. For the reverse side the Governor approved the design that won a reduced second prize in the competition, by Mgr. art. Roman Lugár. This featured a composition of Biatec (the NBS logo) and a double cross, set against a highly decorative background. Mr Lugár’s obverse design depicts the euro symbol and the state emblem, with the national tricolour in the background.

The design by Mária Poldaufová was awarded a reduced first prize. The obverse side was given credit for its finely worked concept and masterly stylised lettering of the abbreviation “NBS”, combined with a depiction of Bratislava castle. The reverse-side is dominated by the euro symbol, with stars and a globe to highlight the role of NBS in the European Union and wider world. The national aspect of the institution is symbolised by a stylised state emblem and linden leaf.

Štefan Novotný’s third-placed design (also awarded a reduced prize) features on the obverse side a circular composition including hands representing the circulation of currency, symbols of art and architecture, and a centrally positioned state emblem. The reverse side depicts a stylised rendition of the central bank’s Biatec logo with a globe in the background.