Results of the public competition for the design of a €10 silver collector coin commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jozef Murgaš

First prize
akad. soch. Ivan Řehák

Second prize
Mgr. art. Alžbeta Malcová
Pavel Károly

Third prize
Karol Ličko

In January 2013 Národná banka Slovenska announced a public competition for the design of a €10 silver collector coin commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jozef Murgaš, a pioneer of radiotelegraphy, scientist, and world-class inventor. A total of twelve designs by thirteen designers were anonymously entered in the competition (one of the entries had two designers). In March 2013 the designs were judged by the NBS Governor’s Committee for the Assessment of Slovak Euro Coin Designs, which was assisted in this task by an expert advisor, Ing. Jozef Roman from the Slovak Technical Museum in Košice.

The design that won first prize was by akad. soch. Ivan Řehák, and it will be used for the collector coin. The Committee praised the winning entry for the way both the obverse and reverse designs strike a balance between form and content, with elements that highlight the inventor side of Jozef Murgaš as well as other aspects of his life’s work. With a modern, dynamic composition, the obverse design depicts in the centre the antenna mast that Murgaš used for his first wireless telegraphy transmission in Wilkes-Barre (United States). The design expertly incorporates lines representing radio waves, which give an ethereal and timeless effect. The reverse design features a faithful portrait of Jozef Murgaš with his name written in incused lettering. The visage of Murgaš is set against a background of field lines, shaped to represent a globe and by extension the global impact of Murgaš’s inventions.

Second prize was awarded to a design jointly entered by Mgr. art. Alžbeta Malcová and Pavel Karoly, which was praised by the Committee for its high-quality artwork. In the design for the obverse side, transmission masts form the central motif and they are skilfully complemented by depictions of radio waves. The overall composition has a dynamic effect that is enhanced by its sculptural treatment. The reverse design features an asymmetrically-positioned portrait of Jozef Murgaš, with his name and the years of his birth and death written in deeply incused lettering in the lower left part. The composition is balanced on the right-hand side by a relief depiction of an electrical transformer, one of Murgaš’s inventions.

Third prize went to a design by Karol Ličko, which was praised by the Committee for the balance in its composition and content. The obverse design shows some of Murgaš’s inventions, specifically the antenna mast at Wilkes-Barre that he used for the first wireless transmission and an electrical transformer. The reverse design features a portrait of Murgaš, along with a cathedral building in reference to his vocation as a priest.