Coins & identification

Hellers: Czech and Czechoslovak coins at a glance

Heller coins accompanied our currency from 1921 to 2008 — in eight denominations from 1 to 50 hellers and across four successive states. Most years were struck in millions and carry no collector value; what matters are the individual low-mintage years and the state of preservation. Documented mintage figures from the Czech National Bank, and a guide to each denomination, are below.

Heller coins accompanied our currency from 1921 to 2008 — in eight denominations and four successive states.

This overview leads to three detailed sections: rare years with documented mintages, Czechoslovak hellers and the Czech hellers of 1993–2008.

Catalogue page of the First-Republic 50 heller with the 1926 strike

What are you looking for

Rare years and varieties

Documented low mintages per the ČNB, rarities without an exact count and the known die varieties.

Czechoslovak hellers 1918–1992

From Španiel's First-Republic strikes through the 1953 reform to the federation's final set-only years.

Czech hellers 1993–2008

The independent republic's three denominations, annual production per ČNB records and the end of the heller era.

Quick orientation

Ten pieces worth watching for. The counts are production figures recorded by the ČNB; where no exact figure is documented, the table says so plainly.

Coin Period Mintage Why it matters
5 h 1924 First Republic exact count not documented Per the ČNB, the rarest Czechoslovak circulation heller coin.
25 h 1932 First Republic exact count not documented An experimental strike that never entered circulation.
50 h 1926 First Republic 999 860 low mintage Catalogue R; of the 999,860 pieces produced it is not certain all carried the 1926 date.
5 h 1987 ČSSR 520 000 low mintage The lowest regular 5 h mintage of the 1980s outside the set-only years.
5 h 1989 ČSSR 110 000 low mintage The second exceptionally low 5 h year of the late ČSSR.
1 h 1991 ČSFR 55 000 low mintage Struck for the annual coin sets.
1 h / 5 h 1992 ČSFR 49 500 low mintage The federation's last heller strikes, again set-only items.
50 h 1998 Czech Republic 27 600 low mintage The lowest recorded 50 h production of the 1990s.
20 h 2004 Czech Republic 200 low mintage Recorded after the 20 h left everyday circulation.
10 h 2004 Czech Republic 350 low mintage Recorded after the 10 h left everyday circulation.

* For the 50 h 1926 the catalogue doubts whether the whole production carried the 1926 date — details under Rare years.

Czechoslovak hellers in brief

The First Republic struck hellers to Otakar Španiel's designs, the 1953 reform brought new denominations and a second mint, and the ČSFR's set-only years closed the era. The full overview, including the complete 1980–1992 mintage table, has its own page.

Go to Czechoslovak hellers 1918–1992

Czech hellers in brief

The independent republic used three heller denominations: 10 h, 20 h and 50 h. The 10 h and 20 h left circulation in 2003, the 50 h lasted until 2008. Annual production is recorded by the ČNB — with the caveat that the year of production need not match the date on the coin.

Go to Czech hellers 1993–2008

Did you know

Did you know? Per the ČNB the 5 heller 1924 is the rarest Czechoslovak circulation heller coin — yet its exact production count is not reliably documented. The full story of the 1924 five-heller
Did you know? Heller coins existed here in eight denominations — 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 h. No other class of our small change ever spanned so wide a range.

Related overviews: rare coins, the rare 10 CZK 1993 and rare fifty-crown coins.

Next step

Do you own a similar piece?

Send us a photo of the obverse and reverse. We are glad to help with identification, appraisal, and placing it in an auction.

+420 797 626 629 info@aurea.cz

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