The entry of the Czech Republic into the Schengen area was a significant milestone on our path to European integration. A majestic medal minted from one kilogram of pure gold was to commemorate the events of 2007.

Millions of people cross Europe's internal borders every day - for work, education and leisure. The Schengen area allows them to travel freely by road, rail, water and air. The whole project, one of the greatest and most visible achievements of European integration, was named Schengen in southern Luxembourg. This rural municipality is where the territories of France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - the original signatories to the 1985 Schengen Agreement - meet. Today, the Schengen area has 27 members - the 23 countries of the European Union plus four associated non-EU states - and the free movement of persons covers an area from the Norwegian coast of the Barents Sea to the southern tip of Spain. The Czech Republic joined the Schengen cooperation in 2007. On the night of 21 December 2007, checks at borders with neighbouring countries were abolished and on the night of 30 March 2008, checks at international airports disappeared.

The author of the medal was the legendary academic sculptor Jiří Harcuba, who is no longer with us. The relief presents the national motifs of the Czech Republic - a lime branch and a two-tailed lion - rendered in his unmistakable style. The two-line inscription then reads PROSINEC 2007 – VSTUP ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY DO SCHENGENSKÉHO PROSTORU (DECEMBER 2007 - ACCESSION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC INTO THE SCHENGEN AREA.

Do not miss one of the first kilogram gold coins minted at the Czech Mint.