Milan Rastislav Štefánik (21 June 1880 – 4 May 1919) was a scientist, military pilot, diplomat and Minister of War for Czechoslovakia, and is one of the most important figures in Slovak history. He worked as an astronomer at the Paris-Meudon Observatory in France and took part in many scientific expeditions while working there. In 1912 he acquired French citizenship. After being conscripted at the start of the First World War, he voluntarily enrolled in aviation training in 1915. As a pilot, he flew both surveillance and combat flights and was a pioneer in military meteorology. In June 1918 Štefánik was promoted to the rank of brigadier general following his central role in building up the Czechoslovak Legions. He also achieved success as a diplomat, drawing attention to the difficult position of Slovaks in the then Kingdom of Hungary and winning over foreign statesmen to the idea of a common state for Czechs and Slovaks. Together with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Edvard Beneš, he was one of the leading members of the foreign-based resistance movement known as the Czechoslovak National Council, which was instrumental in establishing the first Czechoslovak Republic.

Obverse:

The coin’s obverse design pays tribute to Milan Rastislav Štefánik’s state-building activities by depicting the image shown on the lesser coat of arms of the Czechoslovak Republic – a Czech crowned lion with the Slovak coat of arms imposed on its chest – along with a silhouette map of the Czechoslovak Republicoverlying its lower part. To the right is the coat of arms of the Slovak Republic, above which are the denomination ‘10’ and the name of the currency ‘EURO’, one above the other. Below the top edge, in semicircle, is the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’, and below that is year of issuance ‘2019’. In the lower part of the design are the words of Štefánik’s personal motto: ‘VERIT • MILOVAT • PRACOVAT’ (To Believe, To Love, To Work). Below the main image are the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovna Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies, and the stylised letters ‘MP’referring to the obverse designer, Mária Poldaufová.

Reverse:

The reverse depicts a portrait of Štefánik and, to the right, the Caproni Ca.33 biplane in which he was flying when he died in 1919. Below the top edge are the years of Štefánik’s birth ‘1880’ and death ‘1919’ separated by a dot. The fi rst names ‘MILAN RASTISLAV’ appear in semicircle next to the left edge, while the surname ‘ŠTEFÁNIK’ is inscribed below the portrait. Next to the right edge are the stylised letters ‘IR’ referring to the reverse designer, Ivan Rehák.