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100th anniversary of the birth of Viktor Kubal

€10 silver collector coin

The obverse design of the coin
The reverse design of the coin

Viktor Kubal (20 March 1923 – 24 April 1997) made the first ever Slovak animated film, Studňa Lásky (‘Well of Love’), in 1944 but did not return to the genre until the 1960s, first with animated shorts for the weekly film programme Týždeň vo filme and from 1965 with several animated films. All of them bore his signature: an abbreviated drawing style, a strong narrative component, cartoon humour and visual gags. He also worked in the areas of caricature, illustration, journalism and writing. Later in life, he appeared on talk shows and acted in films. Kubal made many animated films that garnered awards both at home and abroad. His biggest successes were the series Janko Hraško (‘Johnny Little Pea’), Dita, and Šach (‘Chess’). He also created the first Slovak animated feature film, Zbojník Jurko (‘Jurko the Outlaw’). His more than 200 films were summed up by one foreign critic with the words: ‘Fantasy stimulates further fantasy, and Kubal’s animation enchants everyone’.

  • Coin description

    Obverse:
    The obverse features a profile rendition of the highwayman Juraj Jánošík as depicted in Viktor Kubal’s animated film Zbojník Jurko. In the lower part is a strip of film showing the walking figure of another bandit from the film. The name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ is inscribed above the film strip, and the year of issuance ‘2023’, below it. The Slovak coat of arms appears in the lower right edge. Set within a central frame of the film strip is the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint and within the rightmost frame are the stylised letters ‘KL’, referring to the coin’s designer Karol Ličko. The coin’s denomination ‘10’ and currency ‘EURO’ appear in upper part of the design.

    Reverse:
    The reverse shows a portrait of Viktor Kubal, together with, in the lower left of the design, the two eponymous cat figures from his animated series Puf a Muf. To the lower right of the portrait are the dates of Kubal’s birth and death ‘1923’ and ‘1997’, one above the other. His facsimile signature is inscribed below the portrait on two lines.

  • Coin details
    Designer:Karol Ličko
    Composition:.900 silver, .100 copper
    Weight:18 g
    Diameter:34 mm
    Edge:• HUMOR BY NEMAL BYŤ NIKDY AGRESÍVNY
    (Humour should never be aggressive)
    Producer:Kremnica Mint
    Engraver:Dalibor Schmidt
    Issuing volume:2,900 coins in brilliant uncirculated quality
    6,600 coins in proof quality
    Issuing date:20 March 2023

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