Croatia — European Union: Selected designs announced for proposed national euro coinage after public consultation

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The National Bank of Croatia has announced (21st July) they have chosen the designs which will be depicted on the national side of their euro coinage to be issued after the Balkan nation officially adopts the single currency. After consultation with nearly 50,000 Croatians who took part in an online survey earlier this month, and a survey of 1,000 people sent a questionnaire, the CNB Currency Committee announced their final decision.

The CNB Currency Committee followed a particular criterion to develop the choices of design which included national symbolic connotations, a degree of identification by the general public and international recognition. The shortlist included general symbols, leading historical figures, cultural monuments, national landmarks, inventions, or historical events which were presented to the Croatian public for their consideration. The CNB currency committee also reiterated the importance to facilitate a transfer to the new euro-coinage a link between both currencies in terms of design and from a perspective of creativity.

As part of the structured design, the Croatian checkerboard (which is known as “šahovnica”) will be included as a background on all coin denominations. Considered to be one of the oldest national symbols in Europe, the distinctive checkerboard motif is currently depicted on Croatia’s national crest and the national flag. The design has been associated with Croatia since it was adopted as part of the coat of arms of the Croatian Kingdom in 1495. The additional motifs chosen by public consultation will be used on coins of different values divided into four categories and are as follows:

€2 will feature an outline map of Croatia. The horseshoe-shaped country is distinctive in its own right and would easily identify where the coins originate from at first glance. Croatia shares international borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Croatia also shares a maritime border with Italy in the Adriatic Sea.

€1 to feature the marten (kuna). The coins and currency of Croatia since the middle ages have been referred to as the “kuna,” so-named after the small furry animal whose pelt was once considered a traded commodity. The kuna was depicted on earlier coins and was also adopted as the name for the currency in 1994 after independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. The image of a kuna currently appears on contemporary Croatian one, two, and five-kuna coins issued since 1994.

Image of inventor Nicola Tesla to feature on 50, 20, and 10-euro cent coins. Tesla was born on the 10th July 1856 in the village of Smiljan, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now part of present-day Croatia. He is best remembered for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system. In 1884 he moved to the United States, where he became a naturalised citizen after which he set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices.

Glagolitic alphabet to feature on five, two, and one-euro cent coins. Believed to be the oldest known Slavic alphabet, it is generally agreed that this system of writing was created in the ninth century by Cyril, a monk from Thessaloniki, and his brother Methodius. The two brothers were later canonized as Saints Cyril and Methodius and though the symbols fell out of use by the 17th century with further Ottoman incursions, the current Slavic alphabet in use by many Eastern countries can trace its roots to this mode of writing.

Croatia officially became the 28th member of the European Union in July 2013, and, as a requisite of EU membership, agreed to adopt the euro currency when the criterion is met. The country is expected to meet all requirements and join the euro-zone in early 2023, becoming its 20th member to do so. With the selected motifs now chosen, the CNB will at the beginning of August launch a tender to format the designs of the national side of euro coins. After which in October, they will formally submit the designs to the European Commission and the Council of the European Union for their consideration and formal approval by all euro-area member states. If there is no objection, production of Croatian euro coins is planned to commence no later than six months from the date when the euro is scheduled to be adopted in Croatia. Currently, one Croatian kuna (HRK) is equivalent to .13444 euros, and one euro (EUR) is equivalent to 7.44 Croatian kunas. For additional information about Croatian banknotes and coins, please visit the website of the National Bank of Croatia.

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