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 Replies: 15 / Views: 7,074 |
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Moderator
 United States
15417 Posts |
Soooo ... we just returned from 10 days in the wonderful country of Croatia. What an exceptional adventure in a lovely place with great people.  With all due respect to our Croatian members ... and claiming absolutely zero expertise in their currency ... I am writing to summarize a USA tourist-collectors experience with Croatian collecting. Some quick background ... I did my pre-trip research and took with me copies of the Croatia pages from my Krause handbook. The Croatian base currency is a Kuna ... and the Lipa is the fractional currency with 100 Lipa equal to 1 Kuna. Croatia declared their independence from Yugoslavia in October 1991, and the Croatian Reform Coinage began in the year 1993. There are nine (9) denominations of circulating Reform Coinage .... 1 Lipa, 2 Lipa, 5 Lipa, 10 Lipa, 20 Lipa, 50 Lipa, 1 Kuna, 2 Kune and 5 Kuna. Fun fact is that the odd-dated years have the obverse legend in Croatian, while the even dated years have the obverse legend in Latin. My research led me to believe that the 1 Lipa, 2 Lipa and 5 Lipa coins were rarely used ... note for perspective that a 5 Lipa coin is equal to 1 USA cent at current exchange rates. Sooo ... my collecting goal was to attempt to find circulated examples of each of the nine denominations dated the first year of issue (1993). We had great fun every evening sifting through the days change to see what we could find and compare the coins with what I was learning from Krause and speaking with the locals about them. Interesting to note as well that the smallest Croatian banknote is a 10 Kuna ... all transactions below that level are handled with coins ... an interesting contrast to the ongoing debate in the USA about getting rid of the USA $1 banknote. I did manage to find every denomination except the 1 Lipa ... and I did score four of the nine from 1993! Photos of my 1993 examples ... 50 Lipa. KM#8, Nickel plated Steel, 20.5mm, 3.65 grams, Mintage 51.4 million. Obverse shows the flower Degeria.  1 Kuna. KM#9.1, Cu-Ni, 22.5mm, 5.0g, Mintage 49.9 million. Obverse shows a Nightingale.  2 Kune. Wondering why this demomination is is Kune when everything else is a Kuna? KM#10, Cu-Ni, 24.5mm, 6.2g, Mintage 19.7 million. Obverse shows a Tuna.  5 Kuna. KM#11, Cu-Ni, 26.7mm, 7.5g, Mintage 4.9 million. Obverse shows a Brown Bear.  I learned as well that the animal on the reverse of the 1Kn, 2Kn and 5Kn coins is a Marten. The word 'kunas' is derived from the Russian word Kunista, which means Marten ... and is symbolic of the usage of furs as money during medieval Eastern Europe. I truly enjoyed learning about the currency of Croatia, and am pleased with my mini-collection of their coins. David |
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Pillar of the Community
France
1591 Posts |
Very interesting, thanks for sharing :)
Can you post the smaller denominations ? I suppose they are made in coper (as in most countries ...)
And about small denomination, it's about the same with the euro, we use coins a lot (not much the smallest ones though) - and our smallest bill is about 7 USD at the current rate.
And as in the US, we don't use big denominations a lot (germans use them a bit more than other places though) - 200€ bills are very rare, and I saw a 500€ only once (a wedding present)
I didn't knew there were talks in the us about removing the 1usd bill.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2874 Posts |
Here in the UK the £5, the £10 and the £20 are the workhorses of the paper money. There are $50 and £100 used - but they are seldom seen and seem to be the preserve of dealers (be it cars, horses or anything else) and gamblers. Basicially used for the more expensive items that are traded via cash to avoid those nasty people at the Inland Revenue.
That's a great post by the way -- I have an UNC set of those somewhere - but I never got round to really looking at them - so thanks for the enlightening post - very enjoyable.
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New Member
United States
30 Posts |
The 2 Kune is really nice! You should make a second trip to see if you get your hands on the 1 Lipa.
Teia
Heritage Auctions
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Valued Member
Israel
423 Posts |
I have a spare 1 Lipa from 1995 (FAO issue) if you PM me your address I wi;; be happy to send it to you
Harold
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Pillar of the Community
United States
507 Posts |
Thanks for sharing. I always liked the Croatian coins - coins with animals seem to be more endearing than the design choices some countries make.
I am wondering if in your pocket change you encountered euros or coins from other neighboring countries. Similar to how in the USA you find Canadian or Caribbean coins.....
-wheatiefan
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Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
I do this a lot, go to countries and get as many coins as possible. Only been in the UK and China this year, but last year I went around Latin America, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile, and I've done a lot of Europe with trips through the former Yugoslavia, from Austria to Turkey and back via Greece, Bulgaria, Romania etc, Russia and the baltics. All this travelling (40 countries or so) has left me with a large world coin collection!
It's fun to get as many in a short amount of time as possible!
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Valued Member
Croatia (Locally: Hrvatska)
342 Posts |
Hello.
I am happy that someone has interest in Croatian coins.
In 1993, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 lipa and 1, 2, 5 and 1997 - 25 kuna. The coins are issued in two versions: one with the name of the plant or animal in Croatia (issued in odd years)1993...2011, the other with the name in Latin (issued in even years)1994...2010
Due to their low value, 1 and 2 lipa coins are rarely used ,and even 5 lipa is rarely used.
Croatian National Bank has stated in 2001 that it had no plans for withdrawing the 1, 2 and 5 lipa coins
1 Lipa(Aluminium) - Rev. Leg.: KUKURUZ - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: ZEA MAYS - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
2 Lipe (Aluminium) - Rev. Leg.: VINOVA LOZA - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: VITIS VINIFERA - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
5 Lipa (Brass Plated Steel) - Rev. Leg.: HRAST LUŽNJAK - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: QUERCUS ROBUR - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
10 Lipa (Brass Plated Steel) - Rev. Leg.: DUHAN - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: NICOTIANA TABACUM - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
20 Lipa (Nickel Plated Steel) - Rev. Leg.: MASLINA and - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
Rev. Leg.: OLEA EUROPAEA - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
50 Lipa(Nickel Plated Steel) - Rev. Leg.: VELEBITSKA DEGENIJA - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: DEGENIA VELEBITICA - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
1 Kuna (Copper-Nickel )- Rev. Leg.: SLAVUJ - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: Correct spelling "LUSCINIA" MEGARHYNCHOS - 1996,1998,2000,2002,2006,2008
and Rev. Leg.: Error spelling "LUSCINNIA"MEGARHYNCHOS -1994,1996,2002
2 Kune (Copper-Nickel)- Rev. Leg.: TUNJ - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: THUNNUS - THYNNUS - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
5 Kuna (Copper-Nickel)- Rev. Leg.: MRKI MEDVJED - 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2003,2005,2007,2009,2011
and Rev. Leg.: URSUS ARCTOS - 1994,1996,1998,2000,2002,2004,2006,2008,2010
There are few types that I did not write.
There are commemorative coins:
Like: my favorit coin: 5 KUNA Copper-Nickel. Subject: 500th Anniversary - Senj,
2,5,10,20,50 lipa and 1 kuna 1996 Olympic Games logo and torch
10 lipa 50th Anniversary - UN
1,20 lia and 2 kune FAO 1995
50 lipa European Soccer Premiership 1996 England
25 KUNA (1997-2010) Bi-Metallic Brass center in Copper-Nickel ring
1997 - Subject: Danube Border Region
1997 - Subject: 5th Anniversary - UN Membership
1997 - Subject: First Croatian Esperanto Congress
1998 - Subject: Lisbon Expo
1999 - Subject: European Union
2000 - Subject:2000 Obv: 3D denomination on marten within circle, crowned arms below divide branches Rev: Human fetus within radiant circle,
2002 - Subject: 10th Anniversary of International Recognition
2004 - Subject: Croatian European Union Candidacy
2010 - Subject: annual general meeting of city Zagreb 2010
And silver and gold issues.
There are few types that I did not write.
If you want I can post some pictures too.
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Valued Member
Germany
194 Posts |
I've been to Croatia in the summer (not for the first time though). The coins are really nice with all the animals, my kids were trying to get together a nice set (at least until they came across the next ice cream parlor). The coins look especially well when new and shiny but tend to get dull with circulation. We rarely came by any lepas, and the only 1 lepa coin I saw was in a tray alongside older coins of Yugoslavia in a flea market! Nowadays, almost everywhere you go it's euro coins, except Switzerland, but they have been using the same coins ever since. Back in pre-euro times you could find interesting coins (that is, coins besdies the regular issues) in countries like France and Italy, where they had a lot of design changes or circulating commemorative issues - fun for a little coin nerd like me  |
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Valued Member
Sweden
71 Posts |
nickelsearcher said: Quote:
2 Kune. Wondering why this denomination is is Kune when everything else is a Kuna? KM#10, Cu-Ni, 24.5mm, 6.2g, Mintage 19.7 million. Obverse shows a Tuna.
1 kuna ( U pronounced as short u, like in look) 2 kune3 kune4 kune5 kuna ( U pronounced as long u, like in move or dude) ... 11, 12, 13, etc. kuna - long U 20 kuna - long U 21 kuna - short U 22, 23, 24 kune 25 kuna - long U etc. Hopes this helps bye |
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Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
Crazy, I thought about learning Serbo-Croat once, when I lived near Slovania (couldn't find a slovenian teach yourself book), but as I never, ever heard it around Austria, I found myself too lazy!
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Valued Member
Italy
244 Posts |
Hi, looking at so nice discussion on Crotia coins, I'ld like to share my small contribution, I just loaded on my site within "References section" http://mycoins.altervista.org/Refer...ferences.htm a pdf copy of Crotian coins catalog from 1993 up to 2004, free usage and downloda, I received it few years ago from a Croatian coin collector. keep in touch ... |
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Valued Member
Italy
244 Posts |
I forgot to say bi-languages Croatian and English
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Valued Member
United States
230 Posts |
Quote:
Can you post the smaller denominations ? I suppose they are made in coper (as in most countries ...) actually 1 and 2 lipa coins are aluminum 5 and 10 lipa coins are brass plated steel 20 and 50 lipa coins are nickel plated steel 1,2 and 5 kuna coins are cupro-nickel Edited by kuhli
11/28/2011 8:35 pm
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New Member
United Kingdom
1 Posts |
I am about to visit Croatia and I was hoping somebody could tell me where to buy a full set of coins and notes. I know there is a mint outlet in Zagreb but I won't be going there. Does anybody know if the post office sells full sets? Or if there is a particular coin shop of souvenir shop to visit? I will be in the Istria area so a location is Pula or Rovinj would be most helpful. Thanks everyone!
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Pillar of the Community
Germany
1063 Posts |
If you are there for a week you might be able to get most of the coins in circulation.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 7,074 |
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Posted 11/14/2011 4:22 pm
