COINS & CURRENCY OF
EAST EUROPE

A selection of historic coins and banknotes from pre-communist, communist and post-communist Eastern Europe.

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COIN OF THE NAZI PUPPET STATE OF BOHEMIA & MORAVIA

Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, splitting the country in three.  In one portion they created a puppet state called the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.  Coins were minted only from 1941 to 1944. The coins all feature the Bohemian Lion on the obverse.  The 1 Korun has the denomination and linden branches on the reverse.   The coins were minted in the Lysa nad Labem Metal Furniture Factory. The coins are zinc, so may have some white spots.  It is an historic set from a nation that existed briefly during World War II.

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CHRIST FEATURED ON SILVER GROSH OF THE LAST MEDIEVAL KING OF BULGARIA

Ivan Sratsimir was the last king of the medieval Bulgarian Kingdom.  He reigned from Vidin from 1356 until he was captured and killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1396.   One side of this 16mm silver Grosch depicts the bust of Christ, blessing with his right hand and holding the Gospel in his left.  To his right and left is the Christogram "IC – XC".  The other side depicts the king seated on his throne holding a scepter in his right hand.  The coin shows little if any wear, but is rather crudely struck. 

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OLD UNCIRCULATED COIN FROM THE KINGDOM OF BULGARIA 

This 1912 Uncirculated Bronze 1 Stotinka of the Kingdom of Bulgaria was part of a hoard found in the basement of a church in Sophia, Bulgaria. The coins were probably hidden there at the beginning of World War I, then forgotten.  One side of the coin has the arms of the Kingdom of Bulgaria, the other has the denomination and date.  The coin was struck to the standards of the Latin Monetary Union, it is 15mm and weighs just 1 gram.  Even after over 100 years the coin still retains much of its original red luster.

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FIRST COINS OF COMMUNIST BULGARIA 

These seven coins are the first coins issued by Bulgaria following the bloody communist takeover at the end of World War II. Included are the 1951 dated 1, 3, 5, 10 and 25 Stotinki, the 1954 20 Stotinki and the 1959 50 Stotinki in Uncirculated condition. The coins show the denomination alongside a sprig of grain on one side and the Bulgarian arms on the other. With the exception of the 20 Stotinki, each of the coins were produced for only a single year

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SERBIAN KRAJINA & CROATIA AT WAR 

With the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Serbian portions of Croatia declared independence from Croatia, even before Croatia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia.  The Serbs formed the Republic of Serbian Krajina and had their capital at Knin.  A brutal war broke out, and both Croatia (Republika Hrvatska) and Serbian Krajina suffered from severe inflation as they tried to finance themselves by printing money.  Krajina was defeated in 1995 and reincorporated into Croatia.  From Serbian Kranina we have the 5,000,000 Dinara note dated 1993.   The note features the Knin fortress on a hill on one side, and the Serbian arms on the other.  The Croatian 50,000 Dinara and 100,000 Dinara are dated 1993.  Both feature Croatian astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher Roger Joseph Boscovich.  Boscovich is famous for his atomic theory.  In 1753 he discovered the absence of atmosphere on the Moon.  The reverse of the notes have the Statue of  "Glagolica Mother Croatia", a marble statue created in 1932 by artist Ivan Mestrovic. The sculpture is of a mother holding on her lap a stone tablet with “History of Croatians” engraved in the old Croatian script.  The original sculpture has been in a "temporary exhibition" in Belgrade, Serbia since 1934.  Serbia has refused to return the statue to Croatia.  A bronze copy is at Zagreb University in Croatia

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CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF TECHNICAL CULTURE 75th ANNIVERSARY

Croatia commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Croatian Association of Technical Culture  (CATC) with this 2021 dated 12-sided bimetallic 25 Kuna coin.  The CATC is an association of technical, technical-hobbyist and local associations throughout Croatia with over 60,00 members. Member associations cover a wide range of endeavors including amateur radio, aeronautics, astronomy, canoeing, diving, photography, rocketry, ship modeling, sailing and many more.  It supports numerous science and technology related activities for youth.  One side of the coin depicts a cube from the CATC emblem superimposed on a printed circuit board and the dates 1946 2021.  The other side features the denomination with an image of a marten superimposed in the "25".   The denomination Kuna is derived from an old Croatian term for a marten pelt, which was used as money during medieval times.  The 32mm coin has a mintage of only 50,000 pieces. 

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CROATIA'S FIRST COMMEMORATIVE 2 EURO COMMEMORATES JOINING THE EURO

Croatia’s first circulating commemorative 2 Euro coin commemorates Croatia adopting the Euro in 2023 as their national currency.  The design of the 2023 coin includes s a stylized Euro € symbol and the distinctive checker board pattern from the flag and arms of Croatia. The edge lettering has the text "O LIJEPA O DRAGA O SLATKA SLOBODO" (Oh beautiful, oh dear, oh sweet freedom) from the Hymn to Freedom by the 17th century Croatian writer Ivan Gundulic.  The coin has a mintage of 250,000. 

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BISHOPRIC OF DORPAT

The Bishopric of Dorpat (now Tartu) was a prince-bishopric that once controlled much of what is now south-eastern Estonia. It was an important Hanseatic trade center.  This small (about 12mm) silver 1 Lubische (late called 1 Pfennig) was issued by the Bishops of Dorpat between 1379 and 1441.  During this period the Bishopric was in conflict with the Knights of the Livonian Order who controlled adjacent territories. Both sides of the coin depict the arms of the Bishopric which consists of a crossed key and sword.  The Dorpat Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop, was once one of the largest religious structures in Eastern Europe.  It was heavily damaged in the 1520's during the Protestant Reformation and was abandoned after the last Bishop was deported to Russia in 1558.  Ruins of the once grand cathedral are now part of the grounds of the University of Tartu. The coin is a reminder of a once powerful but now extinct Bishopric.

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HUNGARIAN BI-METALLIC 200 FORINT FEATURES CHAIN BRIDGE  

Hungary introduced this new bimetallic 200 Forint coin in 2009 in order to replace the 200 Forint banknote in circulation.  The banknote will cease to be legal tender.  The coin pictures the famed Széchenyi Chain Bridge one one side and has the date and denomination on the other.  The chain suspension bridge, completed in 1849, was the first permanent bridge across the Danube to join Buda with Pest. In 1873 the two cities were united to form the Hungarian capital of Budapest. At the time the bridge was built, its center span of 202 meters (663 feet) was one of the largest in the world and was considered by some to be a "Wonder of the World".

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HUNGARY COMMEMORATES THEIR CURRENCY

Hungary issued this circulating commemorative 50 Forint coin dated 2016 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Forint.  The Forint was introduced August 1, 1946 to replace the massively inflated Pengo at a rate of 1 forint = 4×10²⁹ Pengo (that is 1 with 29 zeros behind it) Pengo,  The name Forint dates back to the gold Florin of Florence that was introduced in 1252AD and circulated in Hungary in the 14th Century.  The obverse of the 27.4mm copper-nickel coin features the traditional arms of Hungary depicting the Royal Crown of Hungary.  The denomination is on the reverse.

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HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2017 FINA AQUATICS COMPETITION

Hungary commemorated the 17th FINA (Fédération internationale de natation or International Swimming Federation) World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest July 14-30, 2017 on their 2017 commemorative 50 Forint.  The event brought 2000 swimmers and divers from throughout the world together for over two weeks of competitions in 75 events.  The 27.4mm copper-nickel coin depicts the FINA-Budapest logo on one side and the denomination on the other.

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HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2018 ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hungary honored the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation Division I Group A World Championship games held in Budapest April 22 to 28 on this 2018 circulating commemorative 50 Forint.  The reverse of the 27.4mm copper-nickel coin features a player taking a shot on the goal and the emblem of the Hungarian Ice Hockey Association.  The obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark.

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HUNGARY 2018 YEAR OF THE FAMILY 50 FORINT

In January 2018 Hungarian Prime Minister declared 2018 to be Hungary's Year of the Family in order to encourage more and larger families because the nations birthrate is too low. (Wasn't it just a few years ago the world was facing a "population bomb" and everyone was supposed to have fewer children?)  The reverse of the 27.4mm copper-nickel coin includes the Year of the Family logo which features a stylized family and the "Year of the Family" in Hungarian. The obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark.

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HUNGARY HONORS THE "HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC"

Hungary recently released 2020 dated circulating 10 and 20 Forint commemorative coins honoring the "Heroes of the Pandemic".   Hungary's COVID-19 cases and death rates were well below that of neighboring European nations, though recently there has been a spike in the number of cases.  Both coins have similar designs. The obverses depict the images of those that contributed to control the pandemic formed into the shape of a heart.  The coins have the same reverses as the regular issues which depict the denomination and the Budapest mint mark. 

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HUNGARIAN BIMETALLIC COMMEMORATES 175th ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR MILITARY

Hungary issued this circulating 2023 bi-metallic 100 Forint to commemorate the 175th anniversary of their Defense Forces.  The Defense Forces were first organized by Lajos Kossuth during the unsuccessful 1848 Hungarian Revolution.  The obverse of the 23.8mm coin features the emblem of the Hungarian Defiance Forces: a Turul, a mythical bird of prey, holding the sword of Stephen I of Hungary in its claws, and the shield of the Hungarian Defense Forces.   The denomination is on the reverse.

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HUNGARY HONORS THEIR AMBULANCE SERVICE

Hungary issued a 2023 circulating 50 Forint coin to commemorate the 75th anniversary of their National Ambulance Service.  It is the largest ambulance and medical institution in Hungary.  It was formally established in 1948, though traces its roots going back to 1887.  The 27.4mm copper-nickel coin depicts the Rod of Asclepius, depicting a snake coiled on a stick, which symbolizes the healing aspect of medical arts. Beneath the Rod of Asclepius is a six-armed Cross of Constantine. The cross represents the star of life signifying the steps in the process of life-saving: recognition, emergency call, first aid, paramedic care, control during transport and hospital care.  The denomination is on the reverse.

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RARE KOSOVO BANKNOTES

Kosovo was a province of Serbia that is made up of primarily Muslim ethnic Albanians.  In 1998 fighting broke out between Serb armed forces and ethnic Albanian militias that supported independence or unification with Albania.  Atrocities were committed by both sides.  United States and NATO forces finally stepped in to stop the fighting.  It was during all this chaos these unusual banknotes were issued.  The notes were printed on obsolete 1992 Macedonian banknotes.  The notes dated April 1, 1999 were issued by the Provisional Bank of the Republic of Kosovo.   The notes were sold to collectors as fundraisers for humanitarian efforts in Kosovo.  They are the only notes of Kosovo as Kosovo has not yet issued any coins or notes for circulation. They use Euros or Serbian Dinars. 

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MACEDONIA WILDLIFE COIN SET 

This attractive four coin set from Macedonia features wildlife. The 1993 50 Deni features a seagull in flight. The 1997 1 Dinar shows a Yugoslavian sheep dog. A leaping trout is on the 2001 2 Denari and a lynx is on the 2001 5 Denari. The reverse of the coins feature the denomination and a 16-ray sun symbol that supposedly was used by Alexander the Great. All four coins are struck in brass and are Brilliant Uncirculated.

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FIRST NORTH MACEDONIA COIN SET FEATURES ANIMALS

This three-coin set features the first coins issued by North Macedonia. The country was previously known as Macedonia, but Greece forced it to change its name.  Other than the revised name, the design and the specifications of the coins are the same as the previous Macedonian issue.  The coins feature native fauna.  The 2022 5 Dinari features a Macedonian Lynx. The 2022 2 Dinari depicts a Lake Ohrid brown trout.  A Shar Planina Shepherd dog (also called Illyrian or Yugoslavian Shepherd) is on the 2020 1 Dinar.  The reverses of the coins depict 16 sun rays, which is derived from a symbol of ancient Macedonia.  All three coins are brass-plated steel. Also available is the beautiful 2020 North Macedonia polymer 10 Denai banknote.

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EARLY DATED SILVER COIN OF POLAND-LITHUANIA

Until the 1600's most nations did not put dates on coins. These silver 1/2 Grossus (Groschen) coins of Sigismund II Augustus from the 1500's are some of the earliest affordable coins bearing an AD date.  Sigismund was both the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.  In 1569 he formally united the two countries with the Treaty of Lublin to form the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.  His coins reflect this dual nationality.  One side features his titles as Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Vytas, the White Knight, which is the national symbol of Lithuania.  Below Vytas is the date.  The other side features the Polish Eagle and his titles as King of Poland.  The 19mm silver coins date from 1547 to 1572.  In 1572 Sigsmund died childless, despite having three wives (two of which were first cousins) and carrying on affairs with "two of the most beautiful of his countrywomen".  He was the last of the powerful Jagiellonian dynasty controlled much of central Europe for almost 200 years.

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TRANSITIONAL COINS OF POLAND

This 10-coin set reflects the collapse of communism and the establishment of democracy in Poland.  Poland was facing severe economic problems by the mid 1980's.  By 1988 the inflation rate hit 60% and there were massive strikes throughout the nation.  The government was forced to recognize the previously outlawed Solidarity trade union.  Much to the governments surprise Solidarity won partially free elections in June 1989 leading to the peaceful fall of communism in Poland.  In December the name of the country was officially changed from Polish People's Republic to the Polish Republic and the crowned eagle coat of arms was restored. The events are reflected in this 10-coin set.  Included are the aluminum 10, 20 and 50 Groszy which were discontinued in 1985 due to inflation. The small aluminum 1, 2 and 5 Zlotych that were minted only two years: 1989 and 1990.  The copper-nickel 1986 10 Zlotych and the 1990 20 Zlotych.  The coins all depict the Polish Eagle without a crown.  In 1990 new copper-nickel 50 and 100 Zlotych coins were introduced bearing a crowned eagle on one side and the denomination with an olive branch signifying hope, growth, and peace on the other.  They were struck only a single year.

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POLAND HONORS THE LIFE OF THEIR POPE

 Poland issued this 2 Zlote coin in 2005 shortly after the death of Pope John Paul II.  The Polish born Pope was the first the first non-Italian Pope since 1523.  One side depicts the Pope ith an outline of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in the background.  The other side features a stylized Polish Eagle.  The 27mm coin is struck in a brass alloy called "Nordic Gold".

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POPULAR POLAND WILDLIFE COINS

Poland regularly issues  a 27mm "Nordic gold" (brass alloy) 2 Zlote honoring native endangered wildlife.  The attractive coins are always popular with collectors.The 2014 issue features the Konik Horse. The Konik Horse is a small, hardy, semi-feral horse that originated in Poland.  The European Bison (Zubr)  is on the 2013 issue. The European Bison was hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 20th Century.  Since then it has been reintroduced from captivity.  In the past, especially during the Middle Ages, it was commonly killed for its hide, and to produce drinking horns.  No wildlife coins were issued for 2012.  The 2011 issues featurew the European Badger.  The 2010 issues feature the Lesser Horse-shoe Bat.  It is one of the world’s smallest bats, weighing only 5 to 9 grams (less than a third of an ounce) and is less than a 44mm long (under 2 inches).  The 2008 issue honors the Peregrine Falcon.

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POLAND 2 ZLOTE COMMEMORATIVE SETS

Each year Poland produces a number of attractive commemorative 2 Zlote coins covering a wide variety of topics, including endangered wildlife, historic cities, famous Poles, sporting events, etc.  The coins are struck in an aluminum-bronze alloy called Nordic Gold.  The issues are reasonably priced and popular with collectors, however collecting them can be difficult due to the large number of issues.   Luckily we found someone that assembled complete sets of these popular and attractive 2 Zlote coins from original mint bags.   The 2005 series consists of 19 issues.  The 2006 and 2007 sets  each contain 23 coins.  The 2008 set contains 16 coins.  The 2009 set has 18 coins.  The 2010 set has 20 coins.  The 2011 set has 21 coins.  The 2012 set has 15 coins.  These sets are not packaged.

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BI-METALLIC COINS FROM POLAND

Poland recently introduced a series of circulating bi-metallic 5 Zlotych coins with the theme "Discover Poland".  Each coin features  historic, but often not well known places.  The 24.5mm coins have a copper-nickel ring around an aluminum-bronze center. The arms of Poland are on the obverse.    Poland honored the Poznan Town Hall (Ratusz) on this 2015 bi-metallic 5 Zlotych.  The mannerist style building was completed in 1560 and served as the seat of local government until 1939.  Today it houses a museum.  Each day at noon two mechanical goats come out from the clock tower and butt heads.   The coin depicts the town hall.  The two goats can be seen in the shaded are next to the town hall.  The 2016 5 Zlotych features The Priest's Mill (KSIĘŻY MŁYN) in Lodz.  The mill is a vast housing and industrial complex built in the 1870's on land which originally belonged to the Rector of the Parish of Lodz. The almost completely preserved complex includes a spinning mill, factory buildings, shops, two hospitals, a school, workers housing and owners and directors estates covering over 1200 acres (500 ha).   Today it is a monument to 19th century industrial designs and company towns.    

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FIRST BANKNOTE OF NAZI OCCUPIED SERBIA 

The first banknotes issued by the Germans after invaiding Serbia were made by overprinting Yugoslavian banknotes they found in the vaults of the central bank. Perhaps it is telling that the Nazi's would put their ugly brown overprint on what was then one of the world's prettiest banknotes. This 100 Dinar note dated May 1, 1941, less than a month after the Nazi invasion began. It is overprinted on the 1929 Yugoslavia 100 Dinar banknotes. The front depicts young woman holding a sword. The back features a young man with a large garland of fruit.

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ATTRACTIVE BANKNOTE OF NAZI GERMAN OCCUPIED SERBIA 

On April 6, 1941 Axis Forces under Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia.  They promptly conquered and divided the nation along ethnic lines.  Serbia was placed under the control of the German military.   Serbia issued some beautiful, multi-color banknotes while under Nazi German control. The notes were printed by the Serbian Institute for Manufacturing Banknotes and Coins in Belgrade. The 500 Dinar dated November 11, 1941 depicts a woman with gold coin jewelry on the front and a bricklayer on the back.  They are impressive, large size, colorful notes from a time when Serbia was under Nazi German occupation.

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LAST BANKNOTE OF NAZI OCCUPIED SERBIA

The 100 Dinar note dated January 1, 1943 was the last note issued by Nazi German occupied Serbia before it was liberated in 1944. The front depicts Saint Sava. Sava, known as the Enlightener, was a 13th century Serbian prince and monk who is considered one of the most important figures in Serbian history. The back depicts a cornucopia spilling out fruit and a farmer with a pair of oxen. The note has a watermark of a woman's head. It measures 165 x 84mm.

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SERBIA HONORS TESLA ON 1 OUNCE SILVER COINS

Nikola Tesla was a Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer, physicist, and futurist.  He is said to have over 300 patents covering a wide range of technologies including alternating current, electric motors, remote control, television, radio, x-rays, cell phones, robotics, lasers, turbine engines, magnetic propulsion, drones, solar power, weather manipulation, particle beams and electromagnetic energy (the Tesla coil). He was a brilliant inventor, but a poor businessman.  Despite his many important and revolutionary inventions, he died alone and penniless in New York in 1943.
   Serbia instituted an annual series of silver 100 Dinara coins honoring Tesla and his many inventions.  The 40.25mm coins each contain 1 troy ounce of .999 silver  and are struck by the Serbian Mint.  The Serbian arms, weight, purity, silver content, date, denomination and one or more of his inventions are on the reverses.  
    The 2020 coin honored Tesla's early work with X-rays.  Nikola Tesla was one of the early discoverers of X-rays.  His first X-ray images, which he called shadowgraphs, were done in 1894, a year before Wilhelm Rontgen published his discovery of X-rays in 1895. He was one of the first to recognize some of the benefits of X-rays, such as the finding of foreign objects within a body and the detection of lung diseases.  He was also one of the first to recognize the hazards of X-ray radiation. Unfortunately, most of his work was lost when his laboratory burned down in 1895.  The coin has a mintage of 19,812 in BU.
     The first 2023 issue features what Tesla considered "The Secret of the Universe".  Tesla believed the everything in the universe could be understood through the Energy, Vibration and Frequency of waves.  Understanding waves not only explains natural phenomena, but also our interaction and perception of the physical world and our well-being, harmony and life as well.  We interact with the reality through our eyes and ears which convert electromagnetic (light) and mechanical (sound) waves into electric neural signals; which are then interpreted by our brain through the firing of neurons, which produce and respond to electrical impulses.  Tesla believed physics and dimension are best understood by the mathematics of threes.  One of his famous quotes: "If you only know the magnificence of the 3, 6 and 9, then you would have the key to the universe".  He believed these numbers held great significance in the universe, nature and understanding humans.  It has a mintage of 9711 in BU.
   The second 2023 issue depicts Tesla's "Aether into space drive", also called his anti-gravity flying car.  The design is based on his patent application for an anti-gravity flying car.  Much of Tesla's later work, including his theories on transmitting large amounts of energy through space, was based on his theories about Aether.  Aether was an invisible substance which filled space, rather than space being a vacuum.  His theories about Aether have been disproven and the Anti gravity flying car was never built.   The coin has a mintage of 8258 in BU.
   The third and final issue features the famed Tesla Coil.  The Tesla Coil, invented in 1891, produces high-voltage, low-current, high-frequency alternating-current electricity.  Until the 1920’s it was used for wireless telegraphy and in medical devices.   Now days it is used for educational displays, entertainment, special effects and novelty lighting for the large, impressive sparks it generates.   It has a mintage of 7860 in BU.  
   The first 2024 issue features Tesla's Direct Energy Weapon, which was also known as Teleforce or the Death Beam.  He claimed it would destroy anything approaching within 200 miles, and would provide a wall of power making any country, large or small, impregnable against armies, airplanes, and other means for attack. He never successfully demonstrated it in public and his attempts to sell it to the League of Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Yugoslavia all failed.  It has a mintage of only 4069 in BU.
   Serbia’s second Tesla issue for 2024 commemorates Tesla’s Hydroelectric Power project at Niagara Falls.  Working with George Westinghouse, Tesla did much of the theoretical work needed for the massive plant that opened in 1895 to provide electricity to Buffalo, New York.  It was the world’s first large scale hydroelectric power plant and showed that Tesla’s Alternating Current was more efficient in transmitting electricity over long distances than Edison’s Direct Current.  The coin depicts Tesla standing in front of Niagara Falls.  

ALSO SEE:
TESLA HONORED ON YUGOSLAVIAN BANKNOTE: 5000 Dinara 1993 P128

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SLOVAK REPUBLIC COIN SET

The Slovak Republic (Slovakia) was created out of the peaceful breakup of Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993.  Though the nation may be new, its coins reflect its old heritage.   The aluminum 10 Halierov features a 19th century wooden belfry.  The aluminum  20 Halierov shows the Tatra peak Krivan, a symbol of national sovereignty.  The 50 Halierov shows a renaissance tower that guards the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers.  A gothic statue of the Madonna and child is shown on the brass-plated steel 1 Koruna.  The nickel-plated steel 2 Koruna features the neolithic "mother earth" figurine known as the Venus of Hradok, dating from about 3000BC.   The reverse of a first Century celtic coin is on the nickel-plated steel 5 Koruna.   The 26.5mm aluminum-bronze 10 Korun depicts an 10th to 11th century bronze crucifix.  The reverses of the all seven coins feature the arms of Slovakia.  The cons were struck at the Kremenica mint.  The coins were withdrawn from circulation with the introduction of the Euro in 2009 and are now obsolete.  

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NATIVE WILDLIFE ON OBSOLETE COINS OF SLOVENIA

With the introduction of the Euro, Slovenia's attractive wildlife coins are now obsolete and have been withdrawn from circulation. All six of the Tolar denominated coins feature native wildlife. The 10 Stotinov pictures an Olm salamander, an unusual blind aquatic salamander found in the caves of Slovenia. A barn owl is on the 20 Stotinov. A bee is on the 50 Stotinov. The 1 Tolar features salmon, the 2 Tolar shows a swallow in flight, an ibex is on the 5 Tolar, a horse is on the 10 Tolar and a stork is on the 20 Tolar.  The lower three denominations are aluminum, the top three are brass.  It is an attractive animal coin set. The coins date from 1992 to 2006.  The coins were withdrawn from circulation in 2007 when Slovenia switched to the Euro. 

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SLOVENIA EURO COIN SET

In 2007 Slovenia, once the northernmost part of Yugoslavia, became the first of the former east European nations to adopt the Euro as their currency.  It replaced the Slovenian Tolar.  Because of the expansion of European Union the common side of the Euro coins have been redesigned to show the expanded European Union.  The Slovenian Euro coins are the first to use the new design.  The national side of the coins highlight Slovenian history culture.  The bi-metallic 2 Euro coin features national poet France Prešeren and the first line of the Slovenian national anthem which was written by him.  The bi-metallic 1 Euro pictures Primož Trubar, a 16th century Protestant reformer, superintendent of the Protestant Church of Slovenia and the author of the first book printed in Slovenian.  Mount Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain and the constellation of cancer is featured on the 50 euro cent coin.   Two Lipizzaner horses are on the 20 euro cent coin. The 10 euro cent coin features the "Katedrala Svobode" (Cathedral of Freedom), a national parliament building that has never been built!  A man sowing stars and seeds is featured on the 5 euro cent coin.  The design is based on Ivan Grohar painting  "The Sower".  The 2 euro cent shows the Prince's Stone.  The stone was the base of an ancient Roman column. It was used to install the medieval prince's of Karatania.  A stork is on the 1 euro cent. Every coin has 12 stars around edge interspersed with letters spelling “SLOVENIJA”. The coins are the first of what will be a major expansion of the Euro coin series.

Item SI-EUSET SLOVENIA 8 COIN EURO SET, EUROCENT - 2 EUROS, 2007-09 UNC. $15.00

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2023 SLOVENIA BI-METALLIC 3 EURO

Slovenia released two 2023 dated bi-metallic 3 Euro coins.  One commemorates Slovenian Day of Sports which took place September 23. The obverse features two stylized oars.  The lines of the oars connect to the reverse which represents a target used in three position rifle competitions.
The other coin other marks the 110th Anniversary of the birth of Slovenian writer Boris Pahor.  The text featured on the coin is taken from his story The Old Lighthouse. The letters fade towards the right of the coins, turning into birds flying away, which symbolize freedom while also illustrating the message that Pahor's books sent across the world through their numerous translations.  The birds continue to fly onto the obverse of the coin.   Both coins are 32mm and have a mintage of 60,000 pieces each.

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1953 COIN SET OF THE FEDERAL PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

In 1953 Yugoslavia issued the first coins under the name The Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia.  In 1963 the country changed its name to The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in 1992 it collapsed into what is now Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.  The 1953 coin set consisted of the aluminum 50 Para, 1, 2, and 5 Dinar.  The coat of arms is one side of the coin and the denomination and date on the other.

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COINS FROM YUGOSLAVIA'S HYPER-INFLATION

In the 1990's Yugoslavia underwent a complete collapse as the country broke into five separate nations and inflation soared. Prices sometimes more than doubled within a day!  To keep up with inflation Yugoslavia had to keep introducing new coins and currency.  In early 1993 more new coins and currency were introduced, with 1 new Dinara equal to 1 Million 1992 Dinara.  The new coins featured the national emblem on one side and the denomination on the other. 1, 2, 50, 10, 50 and 100 Dinara coins were issued, however they circulated only briefly. Due to raging inflation they were soon virtually worthless. 

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TESLA HONORED ON YUGOSLAVIAN BANKNOTE

Nikola Tesla was one of the great pioneers in electricity. His inventions in electrical generation and power transmission give us the alternating current electricity we use today. He was a man of many nations. He was born in Croatia to Serbian parents, studied in Austria and Czechoslovakia then went to the United States where he did most of his inventing. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia honored him with this this 1993 5000 Dinara banknote. The reverse pictures the Tesla Museum in Belgrade. The  note circulated only briefly due to Yugoslavia's severe inflation at the time.

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ALSO SEE:
COINS & CURRENCY OF EAST GERMANY

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