The centenary of the International Olympic Committee and the first participation of the Slovak Republic in the Olympic Games

Silver 200 Sk coin

The modern Olympic Games were initiated by the French Baron Pierre de Coubertin. A Congress for the Revival of the Olympic Games met in Paris in 1894 on his initiative. The congress elected the International Olympic Committee, which approves candidates for organizing the Olympic Games, their programme, guarantees the fairness of competition and the regularity of conditions. The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens.

The founding assembly of the Slovak Olympic Committee was held on 19th December 1992. Slovakia entered the Olympic arena for the first time as an independent country at the Winter Olympic Games at Lillehammer in 1994. Forty two sports men and women took part, with representatives in ice hockey, skiing, biathlon and sledging.

Description of the coin

Obverse:
The coat of arms of the Slovak Olympic Committee is placed in the centre of the field of the coin. Below it is the name of the state “SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA”. The name “COMITE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIQUE” is given in a curve.

Reverse:
An attacking ice hockey player is depicted in the centre of the coin. A stylized snow flake with pictograms of four Olympic sports in which Slovaks competed at the Winter Olympic Games are placed below it. The inscription “OLYMPIJSKE HRY” (Olympic Games) is given in a curve. The nominal value of the coin is given to the right of the figure of the ice hockey player.