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CC 540 2024
Numismatic cover
BU
Numismatic cover
Slovakia · 100 years of the International Marathon in Košice
Mintage300
Issue price€19.90
Issue date19 Sept 2024
PackagingNumismatic cover
Edge letteringSLOVENSKÁ REPUBLIKA + ★ + Linden leaf + ★
Issue occasion
The coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Košice Peace Marathon, first held in 1924. The design features a marathon runner on the left and St. Elizabeth Cathedral on the right, an architectural landmark of Košice. The design is complemented by the inscriptions “KOŠICKÝ MARATÓN”, “SLOVENSKO” and the years “1924” and “2024”.
The design
The coin depicts a marathon runner on the left and a view of the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth on the right, one of the architectural landmarks of Košice. The name of the issuing country, “SLOVENSKO”, appears in the lower part of the coin design. Below it are the year in which the marathon was first held, “1924”, and the coin’s year of issue, “2024”. The inscription “KOŠICKÝ MARATÓN” runs in a semicircle along the upper edge. On the left, slightly below the centre, the mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica) appears between two cubes in the form of the letters “MK”. To its right are the stylised initials “LR” of the designer of the national side, Roman Lugár.
The outer ring of the coin bears the twelve stars of the European flag.
The outer ring of the coin bears the twelve stars of the European flag.
Background on the topic
The race traces its origins to the sports official and journalist Vojtech Bukovský. After attending the Olympic Games in Paris, where he watched the marathon, he initiated a corresponding competition in his home city. The first edition took place on 28 October, at that time the anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia. Initially, only a few runners took part; later, the event developed into an international road race.
The Košice Marathon is considered the oldest marathon in Europe to have been held regularly to this day. Its history spans different state and political systems: the First Czechoslovak Republic, the wartime and post-war period, socialist Czechoslovakia, and Slovakia, independent since 1993. The addition “Peace” became part of the name after the Second World War and reflected the widespread connection at the time between international sporting events and appeals for peace. Today, the Slovak name is “Medzinárodný maratón mieru”, meaning International Peace Marathon.
Among the well-known participants was the Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, Olympic marathon champion in 1960 and 1964. The participation of internationally successful runners helped ensure that the race attracted attention beyond the region. At the same time, it remained closely connected with the urban life of Košice.
The cathedral should be understood in relation to this local connection. The Gothic sacred building stands on the main street in the historic centre and is dedicated to Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, also known as Saint Elisabeth of Hungary. Its construction extended from the late 14th to the early 16th century. Today, the church is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Košice. In the coin’s design, it therefore serves not merely as a backdrop but clearly identifies the venue.
The occasion was suitable for a commemorative coin because the race embodies a Slovak sporting tradition continued through several political eras and strongly associated with Košice. The anniversary thus linked sports history, urban history and national remembrance.
The Košice Marathon is considered the oldest marathon in Europe to have been held regularly to this day. Its history spans different state and political systems: the First Czechoslovak Republic, the wartime and post-war period, socialist Czechoslovakia, and Slovakia, independent since 1993. The addition “Peace” became part of the name after the Second World War and reflected the widespread connection at the time between international sporting events and appeals for peace. Today, the Slovak name is “Medzinárodný maratón mieru”, meaning International Peace Marathon.
Among the well-known participants was the Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, Olympic marathon champion in 1960 and 1964. The participation of internationally successful runners helped ensure that the race attracted attention beyond the region. At the same time, it remained closely connected with the urban life of Košice.
The cathedral should be understood in relation to this local connection. The Gothic sacred building stands on the main street in the historic centre and is dedicated to Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, also known as Saint Elisabeth of Hungary. Its construction extended from the late 14th to the early 16th century. Today, the church is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Košice. In the coin’s design, it therefore serves not merely as a backdrop but clearly identifies the venue.
The occasion was suitable for a commemorative coin because the race embodies a Slovak sporting tradition continued through several political eras and strongly associated with Košice. The anniversary thus linked sports history, urban history and national remembrance.
Interesting Facts
Publisher: POFIS, Bratislava (Slovak Post)