Results of the Public Anonymous Competition for the Art Design of the Gold Collector Coin in Nominal Value of 100 Euro UNESCO World Heritage – Wooden Churches of the Slovak Part of the Carpathian Mountain Area

First prize and realization
PhDr. Kliment Mitura

First prize
Mária Poldaufová

Third prize
Pavel Károly

Third prize
Karol Ličko

In July 2009 the Národná banka Slovenska declared a public anonymous competition for the art design of the gold collector coin in nominal value of 100 euro with the theme UNESCO World Heritage – Wooden Churches of the Slovak Part of the Carpathian Mountain Area. Twelve authors submitted fourteen art pieces into the competition. The NBS governor’s commission for the assesment of art designs of Slovak Euro coins evaluated them in February 2010.

Approved for realization was the design by PhDr. Kliment Mitura, which received reduced first prize in the competition. The commission particularly appreciated the interesting compositions of the averse and reverse unified by perspective, which positively differentiated this design from the others. The author, in accordance with the recommendation stated in the terms of the competition, depicted temples of all three Christian confessions on the averse of his design. Near the left rim is the Roman Catholic church of St. Francis of Assisi in Hervartov, in the centre is the bell tower from the area of the evangelical articular church in Hronsek and near the right rim is the Greek Catholic temple of St. Nicholas in Bodružal. For the reverse the author chose a motif from the interior of Roman Catholic church of All Saints in Tvrdošín and depicted a late-baroque main altar on it. The composition is supplemented by fittingly chosen lettering.

Reduced first prize was also awarded to the design of Mária Poldaufová, which impressed the commission by its clean and clear composition, precision of workmanship and elaborateness of details. The author portrayed an iconostasis from the interior of the church in Ladomírová on the averse, and for the reverse she chose motifs of the bell tower in Hronsek and churches in Hervartov and Ladomírová. An observation was made about the portrayal of the iconostasis, concerning the fact that not all icons are depicted on it and it seems as a transparent architecture.

Third prize was awarded to Pavel Károly. His design is characterized by a well-arranged composition. On the averse with motifs of the bell tower in Hronsek, the entrance gate from Ladomírová, and the church in Hervartov, a rendition of the state coat of arms with an indicated structure of wood attracted interest. On the reverse the commission appreciated a reference to the basic material of wooden Churches – cross section of wood used in contrast with the soft drawing of an icon. The commission also highlighted the refined rendition of lettering and recurring ornament theme.

Reduced third prize was awarded to Karol Ličko. The commission highlighted the miniature of sacral building architecture – churches in Kežmarok, Ladomírová and Tvrdošín on the averse, as well as the angel motif on the reverse, which unites all confessions and is suitably supplemented by an ornament from a czar door of the iconostasis.