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To honor Independent Czechoslovakia’s 100th Anniversary, Česká zbrojovka, the parent company of CZ-USA, made and donated a special edition CZ 75 B pistol to a charitable auction held in May 2019. The CZ 75 Republika was one of many items auctioned off at the Zofín Palace in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

The high bid for the pistol exceeded 500,000 Czech crowns or approximately $41,500 US. All proceeds from the pistol auction were donated to charities representing Czech soldiers, police, and firemen.

“The results of this auction exceeded all our expectations,” said President of the CZ Group SE holding, Ing. Lubomír Kovařík, MBA. “The proceeds will be divided between the Military Solidarity Fund and the Police and Fire Service Foundation. We are very happy to lend our support to those people who serve the citizens of Czechoslovakia so very well and so tirelessly.”

The special CZ 75 Republika was the first of the limited edition of one hundred, which made it even more valuable. The owner of Prague’s Gallery Kodl, PhDr. Martin Kodl, organized the charity auction.

Based on an all-steel CZ-75B SA/DA, the CZ 75 Republika’s frame and slide were first blued and then polished to a high gloss. Next, the frame and slide outlines were inlaid with 24-carat gold. Inside the gold outline, craftsmen engraved a linden branch, an important national symbol in Czechoslovakia.

The CZ 75 Republika’s magazine release, hammer, trigger, and safety were also plated in 24-carat gold, as well as the extractor and the grip panel screws. On the right side of the frame, a small coat of arms used by the Czech Republic between 1920 and 1928 was engraved and inlaid with gold.

The left side of the pistol’s frame featured the inscription Pravda Vitezi or “truth prevails,” a saying present on the Czech presidential standard, and the two-line text (in Czech), “Made in the Czech Republic in the edition of 100 models.”

Originally designed in 1975, the CZ 75 B is among the world’s most iconic handguns. With over 1 million models produced, the CZ 75 is also the flagship model of the CZ handgun line. In fact, an entire family of pistols is available based on the basic CZ 75 design: compacts, decockers, single action only, ambidextrous, alloy frames and competition pistols.

The CZ 75 B features a steel frame, a black polycoat finish, 3 dot sights, 16+1 9mm capacity and, of course, the ergonomics and DA/SA action that have made it the most copied handgun design second only to the 1911.