Czechoslovakia 1985-1989 Issue

The 1985-1989 banknote series of Czechoslovakia was the last to be issued before the Velvet Revolution and the country’s subsequent dissolution.

This series featured:

10 korun: Jan Žižka (Hussite military leader)

20 korun: Jan Amos Komenský (educator and philosopher)

50 korun: Ľudovít Štúr (Slovak linguist and nationalist)

100 korun: Klement Gottwald (first Communist president)

1000 korun: Bedřich Smetana (composer)

Key features of this series:

1. Design: Each note featured a portrait on the front and thematic imagery on the back related to the figure’s life or work.
2. Color scheme: The notes used distinct colors for easy denomination recognition.
3. Bilingual text: Denominations were printed in both Czech and Slovak, reflecting the country’s dual nature.
4. Security features: Included watermarks, security threads, and other anti-counterfeiting measures.
5. Cultural representation: The series aimed to represent both Czech and Slovak historical figures, though it faced some controversy over the inclusion of Communist leader Gottwald.
6. Continuity: This series maintained design elements from previous issues while incorporating updated security features.
7. Historical context: These notes were in use during a period of significant political and social change in Czechoslovakia, leading up to the fall of communism in 1989.

This banknote series remained in circulation even after the Velvet Revolution, continuing to be used in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia for a short period following the country’s dissolution in 1993, until each new nation introduced its own currency.