2022 - Niue 5 NZD Gold 1/10oz Coin Armored Vehicles - Mk VIII Cromwell - proof

Armored vehicles

The first gold coin of the Czech Mint from the series Armoured Technology commemorates the British tank Mk VIII Cromwell, which served during the Second World War.

The so-called cruiser tanks, which formed the backbone of British armoured forces in the interwar period, were to operate independently of the infantry and heavy infantry tanks that accompanied them. They were designed to make forays deep into enemy territory and relied almost exclusively on speed. The extraordinary mobility of such tanks went hand in hand with their light weight, and they therefore possessed only thin armour and weak armament. When the cruiser tanks clashed with their much more powerful German counterparts in France and Africa, the British General Staff realized that it had to rethink its existing concept. So the first heavy cruiser tank named the Cromwell was born. Its armour and firepower rivalled those of medium tanks, yet it remained agile. With its powerful and reliable Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, derived from the famous Merlin aircraft engine that powered such aircraft as the Spitfire fighter, it became the fastest British tank of the war years. Cromwells were first deployed during the Normandy landings in 1944. At the time, British tank regiments were armed primarily with American Shermans, but Cromwells also intervened in the fighting in Europe. They gave British tankers the opportunity to be equal opponents of the Germans.

The reverse side of the commemorative coin, which is the work of medal maker Luboš Charvát, presents two depictions of the British tank - the three-quarter view is accompanied by a side silhouette. An inscription of the Mk VIII Cromwell and a detail of the tank belt complete the composition. The stripes can also be found on the obverse side of the coin, which is common to the entire tank series. As the licence to issue commemorative coins of the Czech Mint is granted by the Pacific island of Niue, the obverse side bears its necessary attributes - the name and portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the nominal value of 5 DOLLARS (NZD) and the year of issue 2022.

The coin is stored in a spectacular packaging in the form of a catalogue card full of period photographs, interesting facts and tactical data. Individual cards can be stored in a collector's binder, which you can also find in the offer of the Czech Mint.