100th anniversary of the birth of Miki Muster

Miki Muster (1925 – 2018) studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. About a year before completing his studies, he began working for the newspaper Slovenski poročevalec, later renamed Tedenska tribuna. Each week, he illustrated a one-page serialised comic strip featuring Zvitorepec, Trdonja, and Lakotnik, the characters for which he remains best known. Over 20 years, he created 45 stories. Additionally, over a six-year period, he illustrated 20 picture books for Slovenski poročevalec (later for Delo and Ljubljanski dnevnik), with Medvedek Neewa, Gozdni prijatelji, Lupinica, and Lučka na severu among the most popular.

Driven by his passion for animation, Muster independently produced a commercial for tights, without a commission, which proved so successful that further projects soon followed. He went on to create animated advertisements for brands such as Viki krema, Cikcak bunnies, Jelovica, and Čunga Lunga chewing gum. His ambition to make animated films for children took him to Munich, where he worked for Bavaria Film. Over 17 years, Muster created an astonishing ten hours of animated films, along with five to ten commercials each year for Ljubljana TV and comic strips for German clients.

Following his retirement and return to Slovenia, he continued working on smaller projects with longer deadlines. During this period, he focused on political cartoons.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Miki Muster's birth, the Republic of Slovenia is issuing a commemorative coin featuring his iconic comic strip characters – Trdonja, Zvitorepec, and Lakotnik. The design vividly captures their defining traits: Trdonja’s stubbornness, Zvitorepec’s cunning, and Lakotnik’s insatiable hunger.

Event proposed by: Robert Hlep, Antiquarian Bookshop Glavan, Uroš Sajko, Numismatic Society of Slovenia, Marjan Godnjov, City of Ljubljana

Artwork designed by: Robert Žvokelj, Ljubljana

Minting: Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda S.A., Portugal