Museum of Coins and Medals

The museum in Kremnica has been part of the National Bank of Slovakia since 1994. It was founded in 1890 and is one of the oldest museums in Slovakia. Originally it had a regional character and its collection was formed by objects documenting the glorious and rich past of the town. In the 14th and 15th centuries Kremnica became the centre of mining and minting, and since the 16th century also the centre of medal production in the Kingdom of Hungary. The local gold mines were among the most productive in Europe, and Kremnica was the seat of the main royal mining and minting chamber. The town privileges of Kremnica were granted by King Charles Robert of Hungary of the house of Anjou in 1328, and the mint was founded at the same time.
 
At the Kremnica mint, gold and silver from the Middle-Slovak mining region was processed into high-quality coins. The legendary Kremnica ducat was a popular currency throughout Europe because of its quality and beauty. Apart from the surviving coins and medals, the long history of Kremnica is documented by unique architectural monuments.

In 1956, its centre was declared a historic town reserve and the medieval Town Castle is a national cultural monument. From its origin, the museum aimed, not only at building up historical collections, but also at forming a numismatic collection, which always documented and represented the town. In 1976, it became a specialized museum of coins and medals, the only one of its kind in Slovakia. The museum specializes in documenting the activity of the Kremnica Mint, which has been in continuous operation in the town since 1328. The exhibitions of the museum are placed in three buildings of the historic town reserve and in the Town Castle. Throughout the near 700-year history of Kremnica, the Town Castle has been its jewel. Today its dignified architecture reminds the visitor of the time when the town was honoured with the name "golden Kremnica".

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