Bohemia and Moravia Koruna
The Bohemia and Moravia koruna carries the restrained stillness of a land under occupation—a numismatic imprint of Central Europe’s wartime chapter.
Quick Facts
Country: Bohemia and Moravia
Code: BMK
Symbol: Kč
System: Decimal (1 Koruna = 100 Haléřů)
Status: Withdrawn
The Story of the Bohemia and Moravia Koruna
Introduced in 1939 following the establishment of the Protectorate, the Koruna replaced the sovereign Czechoslovak currency under forced reorganization. Its value was strictly pegged to the Reichsmark, transforming the monetary system into a tool of a controlled wartime economy. For five years, the Koruna functioned as a surrogate currency, regulated by the National Bank for Bohemia and Moravia in Prague, until the 1945 liberation restored monetary continuity under the Czechoslovak state.
Design & Symbolism
The banknotes reflect a chilling tension between imposed German authority and enduring Czech identity. The mandatory bilingual German-Czech inscriptions establish the administrative hierarchy, yet the core imagery remains rooted in high Czech art. High-denomination notes feature portraits of legendary figures such as the architect Peter Parler and the painter Petr Brandl, while the reverses showcase the Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle (Hradčany). The compositions maintain the elite standards of the Prague Security Printing Works, utilizing complex guilloche backgrounds and restrained color palettes that mirror the austerity of the 1940s.
For collectors
For collectors, the Protectorate Koruna is a study in monetary transition under duress. The series is defined by its material anomalies, particularly the provisional 1939 issues where the new authority was literally stamped over the former Republic’s sovereignty. Collectors target these hand-stamped overprints and the uniface designs of lower denominations as tangible documents of a geopolitical shift. The contrast between high-art engraving and wartime resource scarcity makes this series a critical chapter for any collection focused on European occupational currency.
Issued under occupation, the koruna reflects a constrained system shaped by external control and cultural tension.