The 300th anniversary of the construction of continental Europe’s first atmospheric steam engine for draining mines

Description (ECB)

The design depicts an atmospheric steam engine for draining water from mines, the one constructed in the mining town of Nová Baňa in 1722 as the first of its kind in continental Europe. It was designed and built by English engineer Isaac Potter, whose facsimile signature is inscribed sideways, on two lines, in the lower left part of the design. On the right side of the engine, again written sideways, are the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVENSKO’ and, to its right, the years ‘1722’ and ‘2022’ separated by a medial dot. Next to the left edge of the coin’s inner section, positioned one above the other, are the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies, and the stylised initials of the national side designer, Peter Valach. The coin’s outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European flag.

Source: European Central Bank, €2 commemorative coin pages. Texts quoted as published. ECB 2022

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