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Czech koruna facts for kids

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This page is about the currency. For the crown jewel, see Crown of Saint Wenceslas. For the political party, see Koruna Česká (party).
"CZK" redirects here. For the airport with IATA code CZK, see Cascade Locks State Airport.
Quick facts for kids
Czech koruna
Czech banknotes 50 Kč coin
Czech banknotes 50 Kč coin
ISO 4217 Code CZK
User(s)  Czech Republic
Inflation 2.0%
Source Czech Statistical Office, March 2024
Method CPI
Subunit
1⁄100 haléřa
Symbol Kč
haléřa h
Plural The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms. See article.
Coins
Freq. used 1 Kč, 2 Kč, 5 Kč, 10 Kč, 20 Kč, 50 Kč
Banknotes
Freq. used 100 Kč, 200 Kč, 500 Kč, 1,000 Kč, 2,000 Kč
Rarely used 5,000 Kč
a) The haléř is still used for accounting purposes (e.g., financial reports).

The koruna (say "koh-ROO-nah"), also known as the crown, is the money used in the Czech Republic. Its symbol is Kč and its international code is CZK. It has been the official money since 1993. The Czech Republic is part of the European Union. This means it is expected to start using the euro someday.

The word koruna means "crown" in Czech. One koruna used to be divided into 100 hellers (say "HAH-lehrz"). Hellers were small coins, but they are no longer used. The smallest coin you can find now is 1 Kč.

History of the Czech Koruna

How Czech Money Began

The story of the koruna started way back in 1892. Before that, people in the area used a currency called the gulden. The new money, called the Austro-Hungarian krone, replaced the gulden. It was worth half as much as the old gulden. This is why the 10 Kč coin was sometimes called a "fiver" in the past!

Money After World War I

After Austria-Hungary broke up in 1918, a new country called Czechoslovakia was formed. It decided to keep the name "koruna" for its money. In the late 1920s, the Czechoslovak koruna was one of the strongest currencies in Europe.

During World War II, when the Czech lands were taken over, their money was made weaker on purpose. After the war, the Czechoslovak koruna was brought back. There was a big change to the money in 1953, which caused some arguments.

The Czech Koruna Today

The current Czech koruna started in 1993. This happened after Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At first, some old Czechoslovak banknotes were used, but they had special stamps on them. Soon after, new banknotes were made just for the Czech Republic.

In 2013, the Czech National Bank (ČNB), which is like the country's main bank, did something special. They made the koruna weaker on purpose. This was to help Czech businesses that sell things to other countries. However, many people were not happy because it made imported goods more expensive, especially around Christmas. The bank stopped doing this in 2017.

Will the Czech Republic Use the Euro?

Future Plans for the Euro

The Czech Republic once planned to start using the euro in 2010. However, the government decided to put that plan on hold. Even though the country's economy is ready for the euro, many people in the Czech Republic don't want to switch.

Public Opinion on the Euro

Surveys show that most Czech people prefer to keep their own currency. For example, in 2014, only 16% of people wanted to use the euro. By 2018, this number was still low, with only 20% of people over 15 supporting the change.

Czech Coins

What Coins Are Used?

Czech coins come in different sizes and weights. The higher the value, the bigger and heavier the coin usually is.

10 Kč coin series 2000
10 Kč coin series 2000
20 Kč coin series 2000
20 Kč coin series 2000
20 Kč coins series 2018
Series 2018 I, portrait of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
Series 2018 I, portrait of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
Series 2018 II, portrait of Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Series 2018 II, portrait of Milan Rastislav Štefánik
Series 2018 III, portrait of Edvard Beneš
Series 2018 III, portrait of Edvard Beneš
20 Kč coins series 2019
Series 2019 I, portrait of Alois Rašín
Series 2019 I, portrait of Alois Rašín
Series 2019 II, portrait of Vilém Pospíšil
Series 2019 II, portrait of Vilém Pospíšil
Series 2019 III, portrait of Karel Engliš
Series 2019 III, portrait of Karel Engliš

When the Czech koruna started in 1993, coins were made for 10, 20, and 50 hellers. There were also coins for 1 Kč, 2 Kč, 5 Kč, 10 Kč, 20 Kč, and 50 Kč. The smaller heller coins (10h, 20h, and 50h) were later removed from use. This happened because they were not worth much anymore. Even so, prices in stores might still show amounts like CZK 0.10. When you pay with cash, the amount is rounded to the nearest whole koruna.

Special Coins

In the year 2000, special 10 Kč and 20 Kč coins were made. They had different designs to celebrate the new millennium. At first, some coins were made in other countries like Winnipeg and Hamburg. Later, they were made in the Czech Republic.

The Czech National Bank also makes special collector's coins every year. These include beautiful silver and gold coins for people who collect them.

Czech Banknotes

Early Banknotes

The first Czech banknotes came out in 1993. They were actually old Czechoslovak notes with special stamps on them. Only the 100 Kčs, 500 Kčs, and 1,000 Kčs notes got these stamps. Smaller notes were used as they were for a short time. Each stamp had a number to show the value of the banknote.

Current Banknotes

Later in 1993, a brand new series of banknotes was introduced. These included 20 Kč, 50 Kč, 100 Kč, 200 Kč, 500 Kč, 1,000 Kč, and 5,000 Kč notes. Most of these are still used today. The 20 Kč and 50 Kč notes are no longer printed.

These banknotes were designed by an artist named Oldřich Kulhánek. They feature famous Czech people on one side and interesting designs on the other. All modern banknotes have special security features to prevent copying.

Upgraded Banknotes

Since 2007, the Czech National Bank has been making new versions of the banknotes. These have even better security features. For example, they have a special thread that changes color. They also have extra watermarks and other hidden patterns. The 2,000 Kč note was the first to get these upgrades. The 100 Kč and 200 Kč notes were the last to be updated in 2018.

Images for kids

  • 10h CZK

    10 haléř coin

  • 20h CZK

    20 haléř coin

  • 50h CZK

    50 haléř coin

  • 1 CZK

    1 koruna coin

  • 2 CZK

    2 koruna coin

  • 5 CZK

    5 koruna coin

  • 10 CZK

    10 koruna coin

  • 20 CZK

    20 koruna coin

  • 50 CZK

    50 koruna coin

  • 10 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Obverse

    10 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 10 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Reverse

    10 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 20 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Obverse

    20 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 20 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Reverse

    20 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 50 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Obverse

    50 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 50 Czechoslovakan koruna 1985-1989 Issue Reverse

    50 Kčs (Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 100 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Obverse

    100 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 100 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Reverse

    100 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 500 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Obverse

    500 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 500 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Reverse

    500 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 1000 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Obverse

    1,000 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, front

  • 1000 Czechoslovakan koruna 1993 Provisional Issue Reverse

    1,000 Kč (overstamped Czechoslovak) banknote, back

  • 20CZK obverse

    20 Kč banknote, front

  • 20 Czech koruna Reverse

    20 Kč banknote, back

  • 50CZK obverse

    50 Kč banknote, front

  • 50 Czech koruna Reverse

    50 Kč banknote, back

  • 100CZK obverse

    100 Kč banknote, front

  • 100 Czech koruna Reverse

    100 Kč banknote, back

  • 200CZK obverse

    200 Kč banknote, front

  • 200 Czech koruna Reverse

    200 Kč banknote, back

  • 500CZK obverse

    500 Kč banknote, front

  • 500 Czech koruna Reverse

    500 Kč banknote, back

  • 1000CZK obverse

    1,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 1000 Czech koruna Reverse

    1,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 2000CZK obverse

    2,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 2000 CZK reverse

    2,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 5000CZK obverse

    5,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 5000CZK reverse

    5,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 100 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 100 Kč banknote, front

  • 100 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 100 Kč banknote, back

  • 200 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 200 Kč banknote, front

  • 200 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 200 Kč banknote, back

  • 500 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 500 Kč banknote, front

  • 500 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 500 Kč banknote, back

  • 1000 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 1,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 1000 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 1,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 2000 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 2,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 2000 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 2,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 5000 Czech koruna Obverse

    Upgraded 5,000 Kč banknote, front

  • 5000 Czech koruna Reverse

    Upgraded 5,000 Kč banknote, back

  • 100 CZK obverse (with additional print 2019)

    Commemorative 100 Kč banknote (2019), front

  • 100 CZK obverse (2019)

    Commemorative 100 Kč banknote (2019), front

  • 100 CZK reverse (2019)

    Commemorative 100 Kč banknote (2019), back

  • 100 CZK obverse (2022)

    Commemorative 100 Kč banknote (2022), front

  • 100 CZK reverse (2022)

    Commemorative 100 Kč banknote (2022), back

  • 1000 Czech koruna Reverse

    Commemorative 1,000 Kč banknote (2023), back

Exchange Rates: How Much is the Koruna Worth?

Understanding Exchange Rates

An exchange rate tells you how much one country's money is worth compared to another's. For example, it shows how many Czech korunas you need to get one US dollar or one euro.

Euro exchange rate to CZK
EUR–CZK exchange rate since 1999

The Czech koruna's value can change over time. In 2008, it had a very strong period against other currencies.

See also

  • Bohemia and Moravia crown
  • Commemorative coins of the Czech Republic
  • Czech Republic and the euro
  • Czechoslovak crown
  • Economy of the Czech Republic
  • Slovak crown
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