10 Euros Štefan Banič

Štefan Banič patented his parachute design in the United States in 1914 and promptly assigned the patent to the U.S. Army, receiving no financial compensation. The design was used by American pilots during the First World War, yet Banič returned to Slovakia in 1920 and spent the rest of his life working as a miner, largely unrecognized outside specialist circles until decades after his death.

Slovakia has issued collector silvers for a rotating roster of notable compatriots since the early 2000s; Banič appeared on the schedule well after more prominent figures had been covered.