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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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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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 500,000 Dinara and 500,000,000 Dinara notes dated 1993.  Both notes have similar designs.   The notes feature the Knin fortress on a hill on one side, and the Serbian arms on the other.  The Croatia 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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SILVER COIN OF LEOPOLD THE HOGMOUTH  

Leopold I was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1658 to 1705.  He had a rather pronounced lower lip, possibly brought on by his father’s marriage to his cousin.  He was described as a cultivated man of extreme ugliness, hence the name "The Hogmouth".  As Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (which was neither Holy, Roman, nor an Empire) he ruled a vast territory including Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, as well as parts of Germany. He claimed the throne of Spain, leading to The War of Spanish The Succession.  Leopold fought a number of wars against the Turks and France.  The engravers made no attempt to hide his ugliness on the coins, hence his protruding Hapsburg jaw is plainly visible on the coin.  His coins tend to have a slight curvature that was caused by the minting process which used "roller dies" rather than the coin being struck flat.  We offer a silver 15 Kreuzer coins of Leopold from Hungary featuring the Madonna and Child on the reverse and a wonderfully ugly portrait of Leopold on the obverse.   The coin is date between 1660 and 1696 and are approximately 30mm in diameter. 

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WWI HUNGARIAN WAR BOND

This large (15.75" x 9.75", 25 x 40cm) bearer bond was issued by the Royal Hungarian Ministry of Finance on May 12, 1917 for 50 Crowns (Krona). The bond is written in four languages: Hungarian, German, French and English. At the time Hungary, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was engaged in World War I and needed funds to continue its war effort. Only about 5% of the cost of Hungary's war effort was covered by regular government revenue (taxes, etc.) Most of the rest came from issuing bonds or borrowings from the Central Bank. All citizens and soldiers were expected to purchase bonds to support the war effort. The bond paid 6% annual interest, tax and duty free. Included with the bond was a sheet of semi-annual coupons.  The bond had no maturity, but was callable any time after August 1, 1922.  That never happened.  With the defeat and breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in November 1918 and the enormous level of debt accumulated during the war the value of the currency - and the bonds collapsed.  It is an historic World War I bond that has never been redeemed.

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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,  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 2018 WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hungary commemorated the 2018 World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest from October 20 to 28, 2018. The event included Men and women's freestyle and Men's Greco-Roman wrestling. Russia was the clear winner with 10 gold medals. The 27.4mm copper-nickel 50 Forint depicts one wrestler throwing the other. The denomination is on the obverse

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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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RARE KOSOVO BANKNOTES

Kosovo regular overprint notes

Kosovo overprint error notes

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 25, 50 and 100 Dinare notes have a black Albanian double-headed eagle printed on the front.   The 10 Dinare does not have an overprint on the front.  The backs of all the notes have legends in both of the main Albania dialects; Gheg, which is used by the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, and Tosk, which is the "official" dialect of Albania.  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.  Also available are a very limited number of notes with various overprint errors (crooked, off-center, parially printed, etc.)

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ATTRACTIVE MACEDONIAN COIN SET INCLUDES WILDLIFE.

This six coin set from Macedonia includes the 50 Deni to the 50 Denari.  The 50 Denari portrays the head of Archangel Gabriel..  The 10 Denari has the peacock.  Both coins are copper-nickel.  The lower four denominations all feature animals and are struck in brass. A lynx is on the 5 Denari. An Ochrid Trout is on the 2 Denari.  A Yugoslav Shepherd Dog (Sarplaninac) is on the 1 Denar.  The 50 Deni features a seagull in flight.  The reverses of the coins feature the denomination and a 16-ray sun symbol that was used by Alexander the Great. All six coins are Brilliant Uncirculated

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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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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 HONORS HER NAVY

Poland recently started a series 2 Zlote coins honoring famous shops of the Polish Navy.   The 27mm "Nordic Gold" (aluminum-bronze) coins depict the Polish arms on one side and the ship on the other.

The guided-missile frigate ORP Generał Kazimierz Pulaski is the latest Polish Naval vessel to be featured on a 2 Zlote coin of Poland.  The ship was commissioned by the United States Navy as the USS Clark in 1980.  In 2000 she was transferred to Poland, who renamed her after the hero of both Poland’s and the United States’ independence.  General Pulaski was one of the leading military commanders of the Bar Confederation that fought against Russian domination of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.  He was a brilliant and heroic commander, however he often acted independently, disobeying or ignoring orders.  Following the defeat of the Confederation in 1772 he ended up in debtors’ prison in France.  In 1777 he was recruited by the Marquis de Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin for service in the American Revolutionary War.  In the Battle of Brandywine his cavalry actions most likely saved George Washington’s life and saved the Continental Army from annihilation.  He was awarded the rank of Brigadier General and set about to reform the Calvary.  He became known as "father of the American cavalry". He used his own funds in order to assure his forces had proper equipment and to assure their personal safety.  In 1779 he died from wounds received during a Calvary charge during the Siege of Savannah. 

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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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RECENT 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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COIN OF RIGA FOR THE UNCONVENTIONAL QUEEN CHRISTINA

Queen Christina of Sweden was one of the most educated, wittiest, unorthodox and unconventional women of the 17th century.  She succeeded her father on the throne of Sweden in 1632 when she was only six years old.  She took a deep interest in philosophy, religion, art, mathematics and science.   She was fond of books, paintings and had a collection of over 33,000 coins and medals. She frequently dressed as a man. She knew at least nine languages - and could out-cuss a soldier. She was headstrong and often in conflict with her own Chancellor.  In 1638 the first Swedish settlement in the New World was established and named after her: Fort Christina, which is now Wilmington, Delaware.  She founded Sweden's first newspaper. Her efforts helped bring about the Peace of Westphalia, ending the Thirty Years' War. She had an intimate relationship with her handmaiden and in 1649 she announced that she decided not to marry.  In 1654 she abdicated her throne and left Sweden in order to convert to Catholicism.   She was warmly received by Pope Alexander VII and for a time was given her own wing inside the Vatican.  Though often running short of money, she was a major patron of the theater and the arts.  She gave much occasion for gossip as she did not follow the norms for women of that era and freely socialized with men.  She used her position to protect the Jews of Rome.  Missing politics, she attempted to regain the throne of Sweden and gain the thrones of Naples and Poland, all without success.  She died in 1689, and is one of only three women buried within St. Peter's Basilica. This Solidus of Queen Christina was issued for Riga between 1634 and 1654.  Riga, now the capital of Latvia, was under Swedish control from 1621 to 1721.  It was given considerable autonomy, including the right to issue its own coins.  The copper or silver-washed Solidus of Riga have Queen Christina's royal monogram on one side and the arms of Riga on the other.  The crudely made coins are 15mm in diameter, typically are struck somewhat off center without a date.

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WWII FASCIST ROMANIA BANKNOTE

Romania came under the control of fascist dictator Ion Antonescu in September 1940.  The country officially joined the Axis powers in November 1940.  It was a major participant in the invasion of the Soviet Union, contributing both troops and equipment, and was a major supplier of oil for the German war machine.  In 1943 the Allies began heavy bombing of Romania. The Soviet Union invaded in 1944.   Shortly thereafter young King Michael, who had previously been little more than a figurehead, led a coup that overthrew Antonescu. Romania then joined the Allies. Soviet troops quickly occupied Romania, even though Romania was now on the same side as the Soviet Union.  This Romanian 500 Lei note is dated between November 1940 and January 1943, the period when Romania was under the control of the fascists and supporting Nazi Germany.  The brown note depicts two female farmers carrying hoes on the front.  The back features the Peles Castle. The Neo-Renaissance castle was built as a royal residence for Carol I, the first king of modern Romania, between 1873 and 1914.  Today it is a popular tourist attraction.

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LAST COIN OF THE KINGDOM OF ROMANIA

This 1947 brass 50 Bani was one of the last coins of the Kingdom of Romania. The denomination is on one side of this 16mm coin, and the Steel Crown of Romania is on the other.  Unlike most countries, Romania’s royal crown was not made from gold, but from steel from cannon captured from the Ottomans during its war of independence.  On August 15, 1947, with no warning, Romania introduced new coins and currency, replacing their previous, badly inflated currency. Citizens were allowed to exchange only a very limited amount of money, effectively wiping out the assets of the middle and upper classes. 1 On December 30, 1947, the communists forced King Michael (Mihai) to resign at gun point, bringing an end to the Kingdom of Romania and to this short-lived coinage.    The coin is Uncirculated, though has some spots.

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POLYMER ROMANIAN BANKNOTE COMMEMORATES ECLIPSE

Romania issued this colorful polymer 2000 Lei banknote to commemorate the Total Solar Eclipse on August 11, 1999.  It was their first, and so far, only commemorative banknote. One side has a fanciful map of the Solar System.  The other features the Romanian flag within a map of Romania and the path of the eclipse. The Uncirculated note has two transparent windows and is 143x63mm.

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ROMANIA 50 BANI CIRCULATING COMMEMORATIVE COINS

These attractive circulating 50 Bani coins commemorate major events in the history of Romania. All the coins are 23.75mm, struck in a gold-colored nickel-brass alloy and have a lettered edge.


Romania commemorated the 30th anniversary of the December 1989 Romanian Revolution on this 2019 dated 50 Bani coin.  The revolution which overthrew the 42 years of communist rule.  The obverse shows a young man holding a Romanian flag without the socialist emblem making a victory sign.  Above him is the arms of Romania. The reverse pictures a of group men and women atop a tank. 



In 2016 Romania commemorated the 575th Anniversary of John Hunyadi becoming the Voivode of Transylvania, a position he held from 1441 until his death in 1456. The Voivode was the highest ranking official in Transylvania, which was under Hungarian control. John Hunyadi was a brilliant military strategist and eminent statesmen that inflicted considerable defeats against the Ottomans.  In 1447 his forces killed Vlad Dracul, the Voivode of Wallachia. Vlad's son, Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler, later became Voivode of Wallachia.


In 2015 Romania commemorated the 10th anniversary of Redenomination of the Leu.  In 2005 Romania did an 10,000 to 1 revaluation of their currency. The coin depicts the National Bank of Romania building.   All the coins are 23.75mm, struck in a gold-colored nickel-brass alloy and have a lettered edge.

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BEAUTIFUL BANKNOTES OF 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 50 Dinara banknote dated May 1, 1942  depicts Serbian King Peter I on the front.  Peter died in 1921.  The back features the Serbian coat of arms. It is 150 x 75mm.  The 500 Dinar dated November 11, 1941 depicts a woman with gold coin jewelry on the front and a bricklayer on the back. The 500 Dinar dated May 1, 1942 features the Serbian arms and a bare chested man sowing seads on the front.  The back depicts a bare chested man harvesting wheat with a sythe.  The notes have the watermark of King Alexander I.    They are impressive, large size, colorful notes from a time when Serbia was under Nazi domination.

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SERBIA HONORS TESLA ON 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).  Recently Serbia instituted a series of  100 Dinara coins honoring Tesla and his many inventions.  The 39mm coins each contain 1 troy ounce  and are struck by the Serbian Mint. The 2018 and 2019 issues are struck in .999 fine silver, the 2020 issue is .9999 fine silver.  The obverses of the coins depict Tesla.   The Serbian arms, weight, purity, silver content, date, denomination and one or more of his inventions are on the reverses.  I expect the series to be popular due to Tesla's fame and the automobile named in his honor.  The first two issues are sold out at the mint and at major distributors. We have a small quantity which we set aside.
   The first issue in the series is a 2018 coin honoring his contributions to the design of the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.  The coin features one of Nikola Tesla’s greatest inventions: the Induction Motor.  Only 50,000 pieces were struck in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU).
   The second coin in the series is a 2019 dated coin commemorating the 120th anniversary of his invention of remote control and wireless transmission.  In 1898 Tesla demonstrated the technology with a radio-controlled four-foot long stealth boat, which is depicted on the coin.   He expected the technology to be picked up by the United States Navy, but the Navy brass would have none of it.  Ironically, less than two decades later the German navy used remotely controlled boats loaded with explosives to attack Allied ships during World War I.  Only recently has the United States Navy started serious work with remote control ships.   The coin has a mintage of 50,000 pieces.
    The third coini in the series is the 2020 dated piece  honoring 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 Röntgen 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 maximum mintage of 55,000 pieces.

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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, and  an ibex is on the 5 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 2002 and are Uncirculated.

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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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SLOVENIA WORLD BOOK CAPITAL BI-METALLIC 3 EURO 

Slovenia regularly issues circulating bi-metallic 3 Euro commemorative coins.  The 32mm coins have a brass outer ring, a copper-nickel center and a reeded edge.  They are legal tender within Slovenia and available at their face value.  The 2010  issue commemorates Slovenia's capital,  Ljubljana, as the UNESCO's World Book Capital 2010.  It features the facade of Plecnik’s National Library and the outline of a scroll and a book. 

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LASTCOIN OF THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA

This 1938 10 Dinara is one of the last coins of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.  The obverse of the 23mm nickel coin depicts the head of young King Peter II.  The reverse has the royal crown, denomination and date within a wreath.  Peter became king in 1934 at age 11 upon the assassination of his father, King Alexander I.  Though he was opposed to Nazi Germany, his regent signed a pact that allied Yugoslavia with the Nazis in 1941.  Two days later a British supported coup overthrew the regency and proclaimed the 17 year old Peter to be of age and in control of Yugoslavia.  Hitler responded by attacking and quickly conquering Yugoslavia.  Peter escaped by climbing down a drainpipe.  He never returned to his homeland. He made his way to London, then after the war lived in the United States, eventually working in a Los Angeles Savings and Loan before he died in 1970.  

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FEDERAL PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA 

Following World War II, Yugoslavia changed its name to The Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia.  The communist nation, under the control of Josip Tito, steered an independent course from the Soviet Union.  It issued one series of coins before changing its name to the Socialist Federal Republic in 1963.  Starting in 1991 the country completely collapsed into the independent nations of Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The coins include the aluminum 50 Para, 1, 2 and 5 Dinars dated 1953 and the attractive aluminum-bronze 10, 20 and 50 Dinars dated 1955.  The coin features the emblem of Yugoslavia on the obverse of each coin.  All coins are Uncirculated.

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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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ALSO SEE:
COINS & CURRENCY OF EAST GERMANY

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