Rastislav, ruler of Great Moravia
€100 gold collector coin
One of the historically eminent figures of Great Moravia was its ruler Rastislav. During his reign (846-870) Great Moravia advanced and developed from a tribal principality subordinated to the Frankish and later Eastern Frankish Empire into a legitimate and sovereign state in Central Europe. Rastislav achieved independence for his country through success in wars with the Eastern Frankish Empire, alliance with other Slavonic tribes and diplomatic relations and cooperation mainly with the Roman Curia. Another factor contributing to the sovereignty of Great Moravia was the mission of Constantine and Methodius to the country in 863, which was part of Rastislav’s plan to create a separate Slavonic religious province. Supported by the ruler, the two brothers Constantine and Methodius were able to develop wide-ranging evangelical, educational and diplomatic activities that significantly influenced the cultural, spiritual, religious, and political development of Great Moravia.
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Coin description
Obverse:
The obverse side depicts the ground plan of a Great Moravian church in Devín, and within this plan are various letters of the Glagolitic alphabet, the first Slavonic alphabet. Along the edge of the design are decorative elements composed of beads. To the lower left is the coat of arms of the Slovak Republic, and above that is denomination and currency, “100 EURO”, split into two lines. Inscribed along the lower edge is the name of the issuing country, “SLOVENSKO”, and the year “2014”. To the right of the ground plan are the stylised initials “RL”, standing for the name of the designer, Roman Lugár, and the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint.Reverse:
On the reverse side is an imagined portrait of Rastislav juxtaposed with a cross from the Great Moravian period (found at an archaeological excavation in Mikulčice). Around most of the edge are two lines of beading, and between them the inscription “VEĽKOMORAVSKÉ KNIEŽA RASTISLAV”. The years of Rastislav’s reign, “846–870”, appear along the lower edge.
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Coin details
Designer: Roman Lugár Composition: .900 gold, .75 silver, .25 copper Weight: 9.5 g Diameter: 26 mm Edge: milled Producer: Kremnica Mint Engraver: Dalibor Schmidt Issuing volume: 4,000 coins in proof quality Issuing date: 3 November 2014