It is the second oldest in Europe. Czech Radio celebrates with a stamp and a silver coin

Czechs and Slovaks could tune in to regular radio waves for the first time under the „Radiojournal“ brand on 18 May 1923. In European comparison, only the UK, whose BBC was founded in 1922, had regular radio broadcasts before.

The broadcasting centre in Czechoslovakia was Prague, specifically the small wooden building of the former radiotelegraph station and the adjacent tent for performers. The original programme consisted of short news and musical numbers, but in the following years listeners were treated to other items on the programme.

At that time, the state was already the majority owner of Radiojournal, and its support enabled further intensive development, including the expansion of the programme offer and the creation of affiliated organisations, such as its own orchestra.

It is the Scout tent, which became an important memento of the beginning of radio, that bears the reverse side of the silver coin, which has a face value of CZK 200 (EUR 8.3). The author, the academic sculptor Marie Šeborová, chose a radio microphone and broadcasting masts from which radio waves emanate in a stylised manner as the central motif of the obverse side.

The Central Bank issues a total of 30,000 commemorative coins in a double design made of an alloy containing 925 parts of silver and 75 parts of copper.

There are 11,242 in regular quality, while the other 18,758 are of top quality, featuring a highly polished mint field and matt relief. Each coin is 31 millimetres in diameter and weighs 13 grams. The coins were minted at the Czech Mint.

The face value of the 200 CZK coin is not identical to the sale price. It is higher and takes into account, among other things, the current price of silver, production costs and VAT. The coin can be purchased from selected contractual partners. The CNB does not provide direct sales to the public.

The design of the stamp issued by the Czech Post is based on microphones from various time periods. They are intended to indicate their development during the history of radio. The design of the first day cover (FDC) is an old radio bus.

The author of the stamp is the artist Pavel Sivko, the FDC was engraved by the engraver Václav Fajt. The stamp has a face value of CZK 30 (EUR 1.25).

The stamp was printed by offset in an edition of 400,000 pieces, the FDC by steel printing from a flat plate in an edition of 2,400 pieces.

The coin and the stamp will also be available for purchase at the international fair Sberatel / Collector, which will take place from 8 to 9 September at the PVA Expo Prague in the Czech Republic.

Czech Radio today broadcasts from four nation-wide and four specialized stations and runs a net of regional broadcasting in all regions of the Czech Republic. An integral part of the structure is Radio Prague International which broadcasts in six different languages. The broadcasting is also available via internet and mobile applications.

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