2000 – the bimillenary jubilee year

Obverse:
On the obverse of the coins, personalities and events in the history of Slovakia up to the origin of the independent state are depicted on the wings of the Greek goddess Nike. This is accompanied by the Latin inscription “QUID DURAT VINCIT” (Who endures triumphs). Celtic coins evidencing the developed culture, and the existence of urban settlements in the area of present-day Slovakia, from before the time of Christ to the second century, are depicted on the lower margin. They were followed by the coming of the missionaries Sts.Cyril and Methodius, who were received by Prince Rastislav (863). They are associated with the spread of the Christianity to Great Moravia, the creation of the first Slavonic writing, the establishment and development of Old Slavonic literature, Slavonic culture and the establishment of an independent church province. For centuries, Slovakia was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, at first as a separate principality. This is expressed by the Hungarian crown in the central part of the relief. The leading personalities of the national movement Ľudovít Štúr, Jozef Miloslav Hurban and Michal Miloslav Hodža are found above it. Their part in the national emancipation process resulted in the codification of written Slovak (1843), the creation of the first national political programme, the Slovak National Council (1848) and the Slovak Uprising (1848-1849), the first armed action of the Slovaks to gain recognition of a national identity, representation in the old Hungarian state, civil rights and freedoms. The state shield in the upper part symbolizes the origin of the independent Slovak Republic in 1993.

Reverse:
Fragments of typical architectural elements of Christian architecture of different periods are depicted on the reverse of the coin. Against this background, a figure of Christ is placed in the centre, with arms extended, evoking the figure of a prophet, and at the same time an all-embracing gesture. The form of a cross is also suggested, one of the basic symbols of Christianity. The star of Bethlehem, indicating Christ’s place of birth, is placed in the lower part. The year of issue is given below in Latin: “AD MM” (The Year of the Lord 2000).