The Czech National Bank is honouring the legendary Aero L-39 training aircraft with a new commemorative coin. This silver coin, featuring an innovative see-through effect, is the crowning piece of the ‘Famous Means of Transport’ series.
The Czech National Bank (ČNB) is taking to the skies to conclude its ‘Famous Means of Transport’ collector series: a new commemorative coin featuring the legendary Czech Aero L-39 training aircraft has been in circulation since 11 June 2025. The silver coin, with a face value of 500 korunas, impresses not only with its motif but also with a technical innovation – a see-through effect that reveals the silhouette of the aircraft when held up to the light.
This coin is the fifth and final issue in the series and pays tribute to an aircraft that holds a special place in the history of the Czechoslovak aviation industry. ‘The Aero L-39 is a symbol of outstanding Czechoslovak engineering – a technical and export flagship and a milestone in our country’s industrial history,’ emphasises Karina Kubelková, member of the ČNB Bank Board. ‘It was therefore only fitting that we honour this aircraft with a particularly elaborate coin design.’
For the first time in its numismatic history, ČNB has incorporated a see-through effect. When the coin is held up to a light source – such as an LED torch on a mobile phone – or illuminated with a laser, two aircraft silhouettes become visible. This creative feature turns the collector’s coin into a small technical work of art.
The ČNB has had a total of 30,000 coins minted – 10,760 in standard finish and 19,240 in proof finish. The 500-koruna coin is made of an alloy comprising 925 parts silver and 75 parts copper, weighs 25 grams and has a diameter of 40 millimetres. The high-gloss version features a polished field with a matt relief background – a quality appreciated by collectors.
The coin was designed by academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů, whose design won an artistic competition. The obverse shows the L-39 from a frontal view, with part of the cockpit and three instruments below. The artificial horizon in the centre creates the aforementioned optical transparency effect. The reverse depicts two aircraft in motion and a mirror image of the central instrument.
As is customary with collector coins, the face value of 500 korunas does not correspond to the retail price – the actual price is higher and depends on the price of silver, production costs and VAT. The coin was produced by Česká mincovna in Jablonec nad Nisou and is available from selected retail partners. The ČNB itself does not sell collector items directly.
The Aero L-39 coin completes the first ‘Famous Means of Transport’ series. It was preceded by coins featuring the Škoda 498 Albatros locomotive, the Jawa 250 motorcycle, the Tatra 603 car and the ČKD Tatra T3 tram. A second series is planned for release between 2026 and 2030. The full issuance schedule for coins and banknotes is available on the ČNB website.
The Aero L-39 Albatros
Development of the L-39 training aircraft began in the 1960s at the Czechoslovak aviation company Aero Vodochody, building on experience with its predecessor, the L-29 Delfín. The project was led by engineer Jan Vlček, in cooperation with the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. The aircraft was powered by an Ivchenko AI-25 twin-engine jet, manufactured under licence in Prague under the designation AI-25W. The maiden flight took place in 1968, and series production began in 1971.
By 1993, almost 2,800 units had been produced. Development later continued with modern variants such as the L-159 and the current L-39NG – a Czech success story that continues to shape aviation to this day.
