2012 - Slovakia 10 € - Anton Bernolák - Proof

Anton Bernolák – the 250th Anniversary of the Birth

Anton Bernolák (3 Oct. 1762 - 15 Jan. 1813) is one of the most notable figures in Slovak history and was a leading personality of Slovak national life in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a Catholic priest and prominent linguist who became the first person to codify the Slovak language. In addition, he was an active promoter of Slovak national life and education.

His linguistic works cover all aspects of the Slovak language, and in Dissertatio philologico-critica de literis Slavorum (Philological-critical dissertation on Slovak letters), published in 1787, he made the case for having a single codified Slovak language. In an addendum to that work, entitled Orthographia, he set out the first unified principles of Slovak orthography, and in the book Grammatica Slavica (1790) he describes the grammatical structure of Slovak. His scientific description of the Slovak language was completed with Etymologia vocum Slavicarum (1791), which focused on etymological aspects of the language.

Description of the coin
Obverse:
The obverse side of the coin depicts references to Anton Bernolák's life and work – including the title page of his book Etymologia vocum Slavicarum, a facsimile of his signature, and a quill. On the left side is the state emblem of the Slovak Republic, positioned above the year 2012. The country name SLOVENSKO is written I the lower part of the coin.

Reverse:
On the reverse side of the coin there is a portrait of Anton Bernolák set in a textual composition that forms the titles of his works. The denomination 10 EURO is on the left side of the coin, and below the portrait there is written ANTON BERNOLÁK and the years of his birth and death 1762 – 1813. To the left of the portrait the mintmark of the Kremnica Mint and to the right are the stylised initials of the coin's designer Pavel Károly.

Coin’s data
Designers: Pavel Károly
Material: Ag 900, Cu 100
Weight: 18 g
Diameter: 34 mm
Edge: inscription: „TU MÁTE SLOVO MOJE O REČI VAŠEJ“ (HERE IS MY WORD ON YOUR LANGUAGE)
Producer: Kremnica Mint
Engraver: Dalibor Schmidt
Number of pieces minted: brilliant uncirculated quality: 5,200
proof quality: 6,950
Date of issue: 18 September 2012