Státní tiskárna cenin

Státní tiskárna cenin, commonly abbreviated STC, is the Czech Republic’s state-owned security-printing enterprise. Its core role is to produce banknotes and other documents whose authenticity, controlled issuance, and resistance to counterfeiting are considered matters of public interest. The company’s output includes Czech currency, government and commercial securities, passports and identity cards, driving licences, payment and identification cards, tax stamps, motorway vignettes, travel tickets, vouchers, certificates, coupons, and secure blank forms. The organization emerged from the need to establish domestic capacity after the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. The first Czechoslovak banknotes were produced by several ordinary printing companies because no dedicated national security printer yet existed. This fragmented arrangement was unsuitable for a modern monetary system, particularly as the state needed dependable control over design, production, quality, and anti-counterfeiting measures. A centralized facility was therefore planned in Prague. Architect Josef Sakař designed the works constructed between 1924 and 1927, and production began in January 1928. By the end of that year, the facility employed 133 people. During the interwar period, the printer developed a reputation for technically demanding currency work. Its production of the 1,000-koruna note designed by Max Švabinský received an honorary diploma at the 1937 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris. After the Second World War, the organization broadened its output beyond banknotes to include securities and identity documents, serving both domestic institutions and foreign customers. It also accepted international banknote assignments during the Cold War, including work associated with governments aligned with the Soviet Union. One frequently cited assignment was the printing of Cuban peso notes for Cuba’s August 1961 monetary reform. The enterprise was part of the State Bank of Czechoslovakia from 1 July 1950 until 30 June 1953. On 1 July 1953, it became an independent enterprise under the name Státní tiskárna cenin. Modernization in 1989 supported the production of new banknote designs. In the same year, the 20-koruna note featuring Jan Amos Comenius was selected as Banknote of the Year. Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, STC printed the first Czech banknotes issued by the new Czech state, including the 200-, 1,000-, and 5,000-koruna denominations; several other denominations were initially printed by De La Rue in London. In the contemporary Czech market, STC operates as a specialized secure-printing supplier, with the Czech National Bank representing the dominant customer for its production. The reference material states that approximately 95 percent of output is connected with security printing for the Czech National Bank. Alongside currency production, the enterprise serves public authorities and commercial customers requiring controlled manufacturing, specialized substrates, embedded security features, personalization, or traceable distribution. Its capabilities extend to both paper and plastic products, including cards with contact or contactless chips. The organization has also faced governance and compliance criticism. In 2008, the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection imposed a CZK 100,000 fine over a surveillance system that monitored employees outside working hours; management disputed the inspection’s conclusions. In 2013 and 2014, scrutiny focused on gifts received by senior management and the distribution of gold bars to politicians, officials, and business figures. These disclosures led to the dismissal of long-serving chief executive Richard Bulíček, temporary leadership by Olga Dudková, a criminal complaint by the Ministry of Finance, and subsequent audits and complaints concerning allegedly unfavorable contracts. Despite these controversies, STC remains an active state security printer and an important part of the Czech Republic’s monetary and document infrastructure.

The origins of Státní tiskárna cenin lie in the formation of Czechoslovakia after the First World War. The new state needed its own currency and therefore required a reliable means of producing banknotes. In 1919, however, Czechoslovakia had no dedicated security-printing institution. The first banknotes made within its territory were consequently divided among several conventional printing houses. Andreas Haase’s Prague works produced the 1-, 5-, and 50-koruna notes; the 10-koruna issue was shared with the Otto & Růžička graphic studio in Pardubice; Národní politika printed the 100-koruna note and part of the 20-koruna issue; and the Czech Graphic Union produced the rest of the 20-koruna notes and the complete 500-koruna issue. Higher denominations, including the 1,000- and 5,000-koruna notes, were printed abroad. The dispersed production model encouraged the state to build a centralized facility with the technical equipment and controlled working conditions needed for secure banknote production. Architect Josef Sakař designed a new Prague printing works, constructed from 1924 to 1927. Manufacturing began in January 1928, and the facility employed 133 workers by the end of that year. Its interwar development was linked to both monetary administration and the broader growth of Czech graphic and industrial design. In 1937, a 1,000-koruna banknote designed by Max Švabinský and produced by the works received an honorary diploma at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris. Following the Second World War, the institution expanded its responsibilities. In addition to paper currency, it produced securities and identity documents for domestic authorities and accepted assignments from foreign customers. From 1 July 1950 through 30 June 1953, the printing works operated as a unit of the State Bank of Czechoslovakia. It became an independent enterprise on 1 July 1953 under the name Státní tiskárna cenin. During the Cold War, the printer undertook international contracts for states aligned with the Soviet Union. The production of Cuban peso banknotes for Cuba’s August 1961 monetary reform is among its best-known foreign assignments. Modernization in 1989 was undertaken largely to support new banknote production. That year, the 20-koruna note bearing the portrait of Jan Amos Comenius was selected as Banknote of the Year. The end of Czechoslovakia created another important transition. After the Czech Republic and Slovakia became separate states, STC printed the first Czech banknotes for the new currency system, including the 200-, 1,000-, and 5,000-koruna denominations. Other denominations, including the 50-, 100-, and 500-koruna notes, were initially produced by De La Rue in London. STC’s present scope is broader than currency. It manufactures passports, national identity cards, driving licences, other official credentials, securities, smart and contactless cards, tax and excise stamps, motorway vignettes, tickets, vouchers, certificates, coupons, and secure forms. These products may incorporate specialized paper, holographic or optically variable elements, embedded chips, personalization, numbering, controlled access, and other measures intended to prevent forgery or unauthorized duplication. The Czech National Bank is its principal institutional customer, and the reference material indicates that roughly 95 percent of its production is connected with security printing for that bank. The enterprise’s history also includes governance disputes. In 2008, the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection imposed a CZK 100,000 penalty related to employee monitoring outside working hours, a finding management contested. In 2013, Finance Minister Jan Fischer required CEO Richard Bulíček to return paintings received as gifts from a supplier-linked entrepreneur. In 2014, revelations that STC had distributed small gold bars to politicians, officials, and business figures led to Bulíček’s dismissal. Olga Dudková served temporarily, followed by Pavel Novák, who ordered audits and submitted complaints about earlier contracts. These events brought scrutiny to procurement, gifts, conflicts of interest, and state-enterprise governance, but did not end STC’s role as the Czech Republic’s specialized security printer.

• 2008

  Redesigned 1,000-koruna note places second internationally

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  A redesigned 1,000-koruna note with new security features placed second in the International Association of Currency Affairs Banknote of the Year competition.

• 1993

  First banknotes for the Czech Republic

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, STC printed the new Czech state’s first 200-, 1,000-, and 5,000-koruna banknotes.

• 1989

  Modernization supports new banknote production

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  The printing works underwent modernization, while a 20-koruna note featuring Jan Amos Comenius received Banknote of the Year recognition.

• 1961

  Cuban peso contract associated with monetary reform

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  During the Cold War, STC produced Cuban peso banknotes connected with Cuba’s August 1961 monetary reform.

• 1953

  Independent enterprise established

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  On 1 July, the organization became an independent enterprise under the name Státní tiskárna cenin.

• 1950

  Printing works placed within the State Bank of Czechoslovakia

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  From 1 July 1950, the printing works operated as a unit of the central bank.

• 1937

  International recognition for the 1,000-koruna note

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  The works received an honorary diploma in Paris for producing a 1,000-koruna banknote designed by Max Švabinský.

• 1928

  Production starts at the new works

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  The purpose-built printing facility began production in January and had 133 employees by the end of the year.

• 1924

  Construction of a centralized security-printing facility begins

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  Architect Josef Sakař designed the new works in Prague to provide the country with centralized banknote-printing capacity.

• 1919

  First Czechoslovak banknotes are printed domestically

  [1]Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org

  Because no dedicated security printer existed, early Czechoslovak banknotes were distributed among several ordinary printing houses in Prague and Pardubice, while some higher denominations were printed abroad.

National security-printing institution combining banknote production, government-document manufacturing, and specialized anti-counterfeit printing.

• Banknotes · 1928

  Czech koruna banknotes

  STC’s principal product area is the production of Czech koruna banknotes for the Czech National Bank. The work combines specialized paper or substrates, intaglio and other security-printing processes, serial numbering, quality control, and anti-counterfeit features. The printer produced important denominations for the Czech Republic after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and has also manufactured banknotes for foreign customers.

• Government documents

  Identity documents

  The enterprise produces secure credentials including personal identity cards, passports, driving licences, and other official documents. These products can require personalization, controlled issuance, specialized materials, machine-readable elements, embedded chips, and layered anti-forgery protections.

• Financial and legal documents

  Securities

  STC prints shares, government bonds, debentures, certificates, and related protected documents. Such work requires reliable reproduction, controlled numbering or registration, and security features that help issuers and authorities detect alteration, duplication, or unauthorized production.

• Cards

  Smart and secure plastic cards

  STC manufactures plastic cards with contact or contactless chips and other security features. The category can serve identification, access, payment, transport, or institutional applications where card personalization and resistance to tampering are required.

• Revenue and transport documents

  Tax stamps and motorway vignettes

  The printer produces tax and excise stamps, including stamps used for alcohol and tobacco products, as well as motorway vignette stickers. These items support the collection or verification of public charges and therefore commonly require controlled numbering, specialized design, and anti-counterfeit elements.

• Security-printed documents

  Tickets, vouchers, and secure forms

  Additional output includes travel tickets, meal vouchers, coupons, certificates, blank forms, and other documents requiring protection against forgery or unauthorized copying. The category extends STC’s capabilities beyond state currency and credentials into commercial and institutional secure-printing assignments.

• 2014

  Distribution of gold bars to influential figures

  Reports that STC had distributed ten-gram gold bars to politicians, officials, and business figures led to the dismissal of Richard Bulíček. The Ministry of Finance filed a criminal complaint; an initial police dismissal was later successfully challenged.

  Source

• 2014

  Audit and complaints concerning earlier contracts

  New CEO Pavel Novák commissioned audits and filed complaints concerning allegedly unfavorable contracts made by previous management and the alleged misuse of exemptions from public-procurement requirements.

  Source

• 2013

  Gifts received by the chief executive

  CEO Richard Bulíček was questioned by Finance Minister Jan Fischer after accepting paintings as Christmas gifts from entrepreneur Jan Janků. The minister instructed him to return the gifts amid conflict-of-interest concerns.

  Source

• 2008

  Employee surveillance and data-protection fine

  The Czech Office for Personal Data Protection fined STC CZK 100,000 over a surveillance system that monitored employees beyond working hours. Management rejected the inspection’s conclusions.

  Source

Read more

• 2014

  Change senior management after gift controversyOther

  Background

  Reports concerning gold gifts and earlier management practices created political and governance pressure.

  Action taken

  Finance Minister Andrej Babiš dismissed Richard Bulíček; Olga Dudková served temporarily before Pavel Novák became chief executive.

  Aftermath

  The new management commissioned audits and submitted complaints concerning allegedly disadvantageous contracts.

  Spending on gold and silver gifts. (2009-2014)

  Source

• 1993

  Produce the first Czech banknote denominationsProduct launch

  Background

  The dissolution of Czechoslovakia required the Czech Republic to introduce its own banknotes.

  Action taken

  STC printed the first Czech banknotes in the 200-, 1,000-, and 5,000-koruna denominations, while some other denominations were initially sourced from De La Rue in London.

  Aftermath

  STC became a central domestic supplier for the Czech currency system.

  Source

• 1989

  Modernize for new banknote productionGeneration change

  Background

  The printing works needed updated capabilities in connection with the production of new banknote designs.

  Action taken

  STC undertook modernization focused primarily on banknote production.

  Aftermath

  The modernization supported subsequent currency work, including the transition to Czech banknotes after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.

  Source

• 1953

  Establish STC as an independent enterpriseStrategy

  Background

  The printing works had operated within the State Bank of Czechoslovakia from July 1950.

  Action taken

  On 1 July 1953, it was separated from the central bank and established as an independent enterprise named Státní tiskárna cenin.

  Aftermath

  The enterprise continued producing currency and expanded its role in securities and identity-document printing.

  Source

• 1924

  Build a centralized domestic banknote printerStrategy

  Background

  Early Czechoslovak banknotes were produced by several ordinary printers because the country lacked a dedicated security-printing facility.

  Action taken

  The state commissioned a purpose-built centralized works in Prague, designed by Josef Sakař and constructed between 1924 and 1927.

  Aftermath

  Production began in January 1928, establishing the institutional foundation of the modern STC.

  Source

1. 1Státní tiskárna ceninen.wikipedia.org