2017 - Niue 20 NZD Set of Two Gold Coins Reliquary of St. Maurus - Proof

The reliquary of Saint Maura is a unique religious relic that is unparalleled throughout the world. Its story is told by a set of two gold coins of the Czech Mint.

The reliquary of Saint Maura is not an ordinary goldsmith´s relic. Its value is incalculable and comparable perhaps only with our coronation jewels. Although it is one of the largest Czech treasures, it comes from the territory of today's Belgium, It was founded for the Benedictine abbey to protect the remains of St. Maura and St. John the Baptist in the 13th century. The relic came to our territory after 1838, when the owner of the manor in Bečov nad Teplou Alfred de Beaufort Spontin bought it in a very dilapidated state. The Beauforts were considered to be the protector of the Holy Treasure and kept the reliquary secret. During the Second World War, however, they became involved with the Nazis and therefore had to leave the republic. They did not want to risk the loss of the reliquary during the escape, so they hid it under the castle chapel's floor. Only 46 years later, when the Beauforts tried to get the mysterious property out of the country, a number of incidents happened that seemed like a spy thriller. Detectives, secret service agents, American traffickers - they all searched for the lost treasure and eventually found it in 1985.

The academic painter Vladimír Pavlica, who has rich experience with religious themes became the author of the relief of coins inspired by the lavishly decorated box. He made, for example, the coins with the Palladia of the Czech lands in the same spirit as the reliquary, The reverse sides of the coins are dominated by the figures of Saint Maura and Jesus Christ taken from the front walls of the reliquary in medalmaker´s unmistakable style. The obverse sides bear the attributes of the island of Niue, an issuer that licenses the Czech Mint to coin its own coins together with nominal value of 10 DOLLARS (NZD), the name and portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. and the year of the issue 2017. The two angels complement the composition of the obverse sides.

Each of the 300 sets includes a certificate of authenticity decorated with illustrations by Vladimir Pavlica.