This post was first published on November 21st 2019 and has been updated on July 21st 2023.
Czech koruna
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The Czech Crown (in Czech “Koruna”) is the legal currency in the Czech Republic since 1993, although it first appeared in 1919.
The symbol of the Czech crown is “Kč” and its ISO 4217 code is CZK. In English the currency is called “Czech crown” or “Czech koruna”.
As of the date of this update, the euro-Czech crown exchange rate that you will see with your mobile in a currency converter is:
- 1 euro = Czech crowns
- 100 Czech crowns= 4.16 euros.
Origins of the Czech Republic currency
To understand why the Czech crown is used in the Czech Republic, it is necessary to go back many years before and understand the formation and subsequent disintegration of Czechoslovakia.
Compare rates at 80 currency stores in 34 cities
Czechoslovakia was created as an independent state in 1918 after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was actually a federation of two towns.
In 1992, after the fall of the “iron curtain” that precipitated the fall of the Berlin wall in November 1989, the possibility of separation was dropped by Vladimír Mečiar, candidate for Slovak head of government, while Vaclav Klaus, on the side Czech was against.
On January 1, 1993, the political decision of the separation of Czechoslovakia into two independent states was publicly announced: the Czech Republic (Czech Republic) and Slovakia. This decision was not submitted to referendum.
The reality is that at present, Czechs and Slovaks do not see the advantage of continuing to remain separate. According to a survey by the Median agency, only 44% of Czechs currently consider the Czechoslovakia division a positive event.
As a result of the Czechoslovak split, the Czech crown replaced the Czechoslovak crown as a currency in 1993.
Czech koruna banknotes
Banknotes of the first series of Czech crowns were stamped on those of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Czechoslovak crowns, but a new series was introduced in 1993. The exclusive issuing body of Czech notes and coins is the Czech Central Bank (Czech National Bank CNB).
The current denominations of Czech crowns banknotes are: 100 Kč, 200 Kč, 500 Kč, 1000 Kč, 2000 Kč and 5000 Kč.
Czech koruna banknotes
The 20-crown banknote ceased to circulate on August 31, 2008 and the one with 50 crowns on April 1, 2011. Let’s see below the details of each current banknote.
100 CZK (100 Kč) banknote
This banknote has been in circulation since September 5, 2018 and is in green tones and measures 140 mm long and 69 mm wide. Its equivalent value in euros would be at the date of this post update (July 2023) of about 3.88 euros.
100 czech koruna banknote
200 Czech crown (200 Kč) banknote
This banknote has been in circulation since January 6, 1999 and is in brown tones and measures 146 mm long and 69 mm wide. Its equivalent in euros would be as of the date of this post (July 2023) of about 7.76 euros.
200 czech koruna banknote
500 CZK (500 Kč) banknote
This banknote has been in circulation since April 1, 2009 and is in brown tones. Its equivalent value in euros would be around 19.40 euros as of the date of this post (July 2023).
500 czech koruna banknote
1000 Czech crowns (1000 Kč) banknote
The 1000 CZK banknote is in shades of purple and measures 158 mm in length and 74 mm in width. It has been in circulation since April 1, 2008 and its equivalent value in euros on the date of this update (July 2023) would be around 38.80 euros at the exchange rate
1 000 czech koruna banknote
2000 Czech crowns (2000 Kč) banknote
The 5000 kroner note has bluish hues and measures 164mm long and 74mm wide. It has been in circulation in the Czech Republic since July 2, 2007. Its equivalent in euros would be around 77.60 euros as of the date of this post (July 2023).
2 000 czech koruna banknote
5000 CZK (5000 Kč) banknote
The 5,000 kroner note has bluish tones and measures 170 mm long and 74 mm wide. It has been in circulation in the Czech Republic since December 1, 2009. Its equivalent value in euros would be around 194 euros as of the date of this post (July 2023).
5 000 czech koruna banknote
Number of notes in circulation
Of the previous banknotes, the ones that circulate the most are those with the highest nominal value. This table of the CNB shows that the most popular notes in the Czech Republic are the 2000 Kč note, followed by 5000 Kč and 1000 Kč notes.
Most-popular banknotes in the Czech Republic
Czech koruna coins
The coins used in the Czech Republic range from 1 to 50 crowns. According to the previous table of the CNB, only 3% of the crowns that circulate around the country move in coins, so the most common is that you handle with banknotes, and much less with coins.
Specifically, there are 1 Kč, 2 Kč, 5 Kč, 10 Kč, 20 Kč and 50 Kč coins. Here you have them all.
Czech koruna coins
Officially, each crown has 100 cents, called “haléřů” (1Kč = 100 haléřů), but cents are not used (there are no coins to back them up). Although prices are shown in crowns with pennies in shops and restaurants in the Czech Republic. This means that in the shops of the Czech Republic the rounding up is applied to the next whole denomination of the Czech crown (1, 2, 5, etc.).
We see it with an example: a price in a supermarket of 9 crowns with 75 cents means that you will be charged 10 crowns. Keep that in mind.
Can you pay in euros? Why was this currency not adopted if they are European?
On May 1, 2004, the Czech Republic adhered with full rights to the European Union. However, they did not adopt the single euro currency as the official means of payment. Years later, they planned to adopt the euro in 2010. But the Czech government suspended the plan indefinitely in 2005. Although the Czech Republic could adopt the euro, there is considerable opposition from the population. A survey conducted in 2014 showed that only 16% of the population would be in favor of replacing the crown with the euro.
However, in many shops, restaurants and tourist areas they will allow you to pay in euros (watch out for the change they will apply that will be very unfavorable) and they will usually turn you around in crowns (CZK).
Euro to Czech koruna exchange rate today in Spain
The exchange rate of the euro against the Czech crown oscillates at all times. If you search Google for “euro-Czech crown exchange” you will find dozens of websites that offer a “price” of the day, even with Google Finance prices. Something like this (July 21, 2023):
Euro to Czech koruna exchange rate 21 July 2023
As you can see, the exchange rate for the last 5 years has oscillated between 23.7 and 27.8 crowns per euro, but keep in mind that this graph represents the value of the “currency” against the euro, and not the currency, which is lower.
In fact, in currency suppliers in Spain you can buy Czech crowns at an exchange rate between 22 crowns per euro at Cambiator and 18 crowns per euro at the airport, nothing to do with today’s euro-crown currency exchange rate (24.05 crowns per euro).
So, when you see these values in Google and other currency converters with your mobile, keep this in mind:
-This is an unreliable rate. In other words, if you click on the “Disclaimer” link, you get this warning from Google Finance: “Google cannot guarantee the accuracy of the exchange rates displayed. Please confirm current rates before making a transaction that may be affected by changes in exchange rates.”
-These rates that you see are usually wholesale prices of the Czech crown currency against the euro currency (currency and currency are not the same);
-This rate can only be held by banks among themselves, that is, it is impossible to obtain it as an individual.
If you need crowns in banknotes you will have to go through the banknote retail market (bank or currency supplier). This market means that the CZKs have had to be “transported” by someone for you to enjoy (or bought from Czech tourists through Spain previously).
In other words, moving banknotes from one place to another has logistical costs that will make their sale price more expensive (the exchange rate that will be applied by whoever sells them to you).
The Czech crown is not a very common or abundant currency in Spain, so it is not so easy to find it available for sale. Therefore, it is good to anticipate the purchase and order it online to obtain a better price.
Tips if you are going to buy Czech crowns
The Czech bank (Czech National Bank) has an App with all the legal tender coins and banknotes and official exchange rates of the country (go to the Czech CNB page).
If you buy in Spain, choose the best euro to crown price in our currency comparator. If you buy crowns in the Czech Republic, follow these tips and the rights of their central bank (includes how to claim).
You cannot leave the country with more than 10,000 euros (about 273,000 CZK).
The “koruna” turned 100 years old in 2019. To commemorate the event, the Czech National Bank prepared an exhibition entitled “100 Years of the Crown” in the Imperial Stables of Prague Castle, from February 1 to April 28, 2019. A gold coin with a face value of 100,000,000 CZK was also on display for visitors.
Where to exchange czech crowns in Spain
The 3 most popular places to exchange Czech crowns in Spain are banks, currency suppliers, and currency suppliers at the airport.
Of these, the least recommended places to buy or sell crowns are airports and banks (Caixabank, BBVA, Santander and Sabadell exchange Czech crowns) and currency suppliers that charge you a commission in addition to an “exchange margin” (difference between the price for which you paid the currency and the rate for which it is sold to you).
Euro to Czech koruna today
To find out the euro to crown exchange rate today, the best thing you can do is use our currency comparison engine. “Czech” us out!
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