Among the awesome perks of getting to serve as the President of the United States are the gifts each POTUS receives as a sign of goodwill from foreign heads of state.
While some of these gifts may include decorative vases, historical artifacts, paintings, etc., every so often a leader gets it right and brings over something pretty badass.
In this case, the prime minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, absolutely did it right earlier this month, delivering an engraved pistol to President Trump that would make even the stingiest collector turn his head with an appreciative glance.
The pistol, one of just 100 limited edition units, was originally built by CZUB (more commonly known as Czech or CZ) as commemorative handgun — a tribute to the Czech Republic’s centennial celebrated in 2018.
To craft this particular gun, CZ took its most popular design, the CZ 75, and tweaked it to essentially create a work of art.
Designated the CZ 75 Republika, this gun is chambered for the 9mm Luger cartridge and features ornate engravings and tritium night sights from Israeli weapons accessories manufacturer Meprolight.
The embossing and etching on the pistol’s slide and frame features symbols and art that pay homage to the Czech Republic’s rich history.
According to CZ, the gun makes extensive use of 24 carat gold inlays and plating. In fact, the trigger, safety, mag release, and slide stop are all gold-coated, making this one extremely expensive pistol. The hand grips are made out of varnished and smoothed briar root.
The left side of the Republika prominently displays the words “Pravda Vitezi”, meaning “truth prevails”, and the pistol’s serial is 1946 — a nod to the POTUS’s year of birth.
All Republikas come in special wooden cases with a picture of the first Czechoslovak president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk printed inside.
When they were first manufactured in 2018, the Republika was said to have a retail value of nearly $9,000.
Though receiving gifts from foreign dignitaries is one of the cooler perks of the job, presidents don’t actually get to keep them.
Upon receipt, the gifts actually become property of the United States, though presidents are offered the opportunity to buy them for a fair market value so that they can be displayed in their respective presidential libraries and museums.
Ian D’Costa is a correspondent with Gear Scout whose work has been featured with We Are The Mighty, The Aviationist, and Business Insider. An avid outdoorsman, Ian is also a guns and gear enthusiast.
