Around 3,000 coins and other gold items from the Gold Treasure of Kosice, east Slovakia, will be displayed in the Prague National Museum from September 16 to January 10, 2010.

The oldest coins date back to the 15th century, while the youngest is from 1679, according to the Prague Daily Monitor.

"It is one of the most expensive exhibitions organised by the National Museum," Michal Lukes, museum director, told the Czech News Agency.

"The total weight of the gold is 13 kilos while the historical importance of the treasure is immeasurable by any value of money," he said.

The treasure, with an insurance value of almost €8m, was brought to Prague in a special van by representatives of the Slovak National Museum.

They were accompanied by nine masked Czech policemen armed with sub-machine guns.

The treasure was uncovered in the 1930s during the construction of a building in Kosice. It dates from the 17th century and includes various unique gold coins from the whole of Europe.

"Numismatists from across the world have already contacted us," Lukes said.