Catalog
5 Euros The brown bear
| Issuer | National Bank of Slovakia |
|---|---|
| Year | 2023 |
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| Value | 5 Euros |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is dominated by a finely detailed portrait of a brown bear's head in right-facing profile, rendered in high relief and occupying the central field. The Slovak coat of arms is positioned centrally above the bear's head. The denomination and currency unit '5 EURO' are inscribed along the lower left periphery, while the legend 'SLOVENSKO 2023' curves along the upper edge, identifying the issuing country and year of issue. The mint mark of the Kremnica Mint, comprising the letters 'MK' flanked by two die symbols, appears at the right edge. |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a naturalistic scene depicting a female brown bear accompanied by two cubs in the act of fishing, rendered with fine artistic detail across the central field. The Slovak common name for the species, 'MEDVEĎ HNEDÝ', is inscribed along the upper edge, accompanied by the scientific binomial 'URSUS ARCTOS'. The stylised initials 'TL', attributing the design to artist Tomáš Lamač, appear at the lower right edge. The composition is dynamic and illustrative, reflecting the coin's nature-themed commemorative character. |
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| Additional information |
Slovakia's brown bear population — centered in the Carpathian range — is among the densest in Europe, a source of ongoing political friction between conservationists and rural communities that has been playing out in the Slovak parliament for years. The 2023 issue arrived amid active debate over whether to reduce legal protections for the species after a string of high-profile human-bear encounters.