Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 5 Korún 1993-2008, KM# 14, Slovakia
  • 5 Korún 1993-2008, KM# 14, Slovakia
  • 5 Korún 1993-2008, KM# 14, Slovakia, Rare Biatec Hexadrachm
Description

Engraver: Drahomír Zobek

Obverse

Coat of arms of Slovakia, year of mintage, mintmark and engraver's mark.

The coat of arms of Slovakia consists of a shield, in early Gothic style, charged with a double cross standing on the middle peak of a mountain consisting of three peaks. Extremities of the cross are amplified, and its ends are concaved. The double cross is a symbol of its Christian faith and the hills represent three symbolic mountain ranges: Tatra, Fatra (made up of the Veľká Fatra and Malá Fatra ranges), and Mátra (the last one is in northern Hungary).

SLOVENSKÁ
REPUBLIKA
1993
MK
Z

Reverse

Depicts an Antique coin from the 1st century BC, denomination and engraver's mark below.

Biatec was the name of a person, presumably a king, who appeared on the Celtic coins minted by the Boii in Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia) in the 1st century BC. The word Biatec (or Biatex) is also used as the name of those coins. In the literature, they are also sometimes referred to as "hexadrachms of the Bratislava type". Biatecs, in fact hexadrachms and tetradrachms made of high quality silver and gold, bear inscriptions in capital Latin letters. Among 14 different inscriptions (for example NONNOS, DEVIL, BUSU, BUSSUMARUS, TITTO), BIATEC appears most frequently. The inscriptions represent the oldest known use of writing in Slovakia and the neighboring territories. 14 treasures containing such coins were found in Slovakia, six of which near Bratislava. The coins have a diameter of 25 millimeters and a weight of 16.5-17 grams. The obverse usually shows various depictions of a head or a pair of heads. The reverse usually shows a horseman, but various mythological and real animals also occur.

BIATEC
5
Sk
Z

Edge

5 Korún

KM# 14 Schön# 17
Characteristics
Material Nickel Clad Iron
Weight 5.4 g
Diameter 24.75 mm
Thickness 1.7 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Kremnica Mint (MK)

Related coins

First Republic

Cupronickel, 3.3 g, ⌀ 20 mm
First Republic

Cupronickel, 6.66 g, ⌀ 25 mm

Third Millennium

Tri-Metallic, 37.63 g, ⌀ 50 mm