1,000 crowns - Farewell to the Slovak Koruna

On January 1, 1993 the independent Slovak Republic was established. After the split-up of Czechoslovakia, it was necessary to prepare a new currency, which was named slovenska koruna (Slovak Crown), in a very short time. The Slovak koruna originated on February 8, 1993, the day on which the agreement on the monetary union with the Czech Republic expired. Five denominations of Czechoslovak banknotes stamped with Slovak duty stamps were put into circulation along with the first Slovak coins, which were in the value of 10 koruna.

Originally, the new coin system consisted of seven coins, but the validity of 10 haler and 20 haler coins expired in 2003 and five coins in denominations of 10 koruna, 5 koruna, 2 koruna, 1 koruna and 50 halers remained in circulation. Drahomir Zobek is the designer of these coins. The banknote system consists of banknotes in denominations of 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 koruna, all of which were designed by academic painter Jozef Bubak.

As of January 1, 2009, the Slovak koruna will be replaced by the euro currency.

The obverse of the coin, in the centre of the coin field, displays the headquarters building of National Bank of Slovakia. Stars and their fragments are depicted on both sides, symbolizing Slovakia's membership in the European Union. The symbol of the Europa Coin Programme, consisting of a European star and the symbol of the euro, is placed between the stars in the upper left part. The name of the state, SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA, is placed below the coin's upper edge. The national coat of arms and the year 2008 are near the lower edge.

The reverse of the coin shows fragments of the motifs of the five Slovak circulation coins on a background of a stylized euro symbol. The nominal value, 1000 Sk, is depicted in two rows in the right-hand part of the coin field. The description below the coin's upper edge contains the text SLOVENSKA KORUNA, whereas the lower edge shows the years marking the period of validity of the Slovak koruna as the monetary unit of the Slovak Republic, 1993 - 2008. The mark of the Kremnica Mint, MK between two dies, and the stylized initials of the name and surname of Karol Licko, the coin's designer, are located at the bottom left edge of the coin.