sk sk

100th anniversary of the opening of the cog railway from Štrba to Štrbské pleso

 

 

Silver 200 Sk coin commemorating the centenary of the opening of the rack railway from Strba to Strbske Pleso

 

The Vysoke Tatry – high mountains with unique natural features, the settlements below the Tatry, which excel by their especial charm and their reputation for excellent health-giving results, attracted ever more spa visitors and tourists in the 19th century. Carts and carriages were soon inadequate for transporting them. On 28th July 1896, a rack railway connecting Strba with Strbske Pleso was opened. At first it operated only in summer, but later also in winter. The narrow gauge track with a width of 1,000 mm had a length of 4.8 km and a gradient of 127 promile. It was closed in 1932 due to lack of profit. The idea of reopening it arose at the beginning of the 1950s, and it was actually reconstructed before the World Skiing Championships in 1970. The new track utilised two thirds of the track of the old rack railway.
 

 

Description of the coin
Obverse   Reverse
Obverse: The coat of arms of the Slovak Republic is depicted in the middle of  the coin. The nominal value of the coin and the name of the monetary unit, the name of the state: “SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA” and the year of issue, are placed in the field of the coin. Reverse: The historic rack railway is depicted in front of a view of the high  mountain scenery of the Vysoke Tatry. The text “ZUBACKA (rack railway) STRBA” and “STRBSKE PLESO” and the years “1896 1996” are given below.
 

 

Coin’s data
Designer: Vojtech Pohanka
Material: Ag 750, Cu 250
Weight: 20 g
Diameter: 34 mm
Edge: repeated inscription “VYSOKE TATRY”
Producer: Kremnica mint (Slovak Republic)
Number of pieces minted: 23,600  of which 1,600 proof
Demonetized: 5 850 in brilliant uncirculated quality (2002)  200 in brilliant uncirculated quality (2006)