Croatian currency: Kuna
The official currency of the Republic of Croatia is the Kuna, which has 100 Lipa. (local abbreviation
kn, international abbreviation HRK). 1 Euro is approx 7,5 kunas and 1 USD approx 6 kunas
Short history of Kuna
Back in the Roman times, in provinces of upper and lower Pannonia (today Hungary and Slavonia)
taxes were collected in then highly valued marten skins, the animal which lived abundantly in these
areas. Hence the Croatian word 'marturina' or tax, derived from Latin word 'martus' (Croatian:
'kuna').
A tax paid in marten skins was collected in such an organized way that the skins were returned to
the market, otherwise the marten population would have been eradicated.
Between 1235 and 1384 the Croatian Viceroys started making a marten-adorned
silver coin called Banski (Banic) denar or Banovac in mints in Zagreb and Pakrac.
In the mid-13th century King Bela IV introduced a monetary reform in Slavonia
and minted coins that had the figure of a marten on the obverse. These coins
were minted until the end of the 14th century.
King Vladislav Jagellion granted Slavonia coat of arms with the figure of a marten
between two rivers, the Sava and the Drava.
Kuna as money disappeared with diminishing autonomy of Croatia inside the Croatia-Hungarian
Kingdom.
The marten currency, Kuna, reappeared in 1939 when the Banate Croatia, established within the
Yugoslav Monarchy, considered issuing its own money. Although the design and plans were made
and everything was prepared, this money was never published.
However different design of Kuna was launched in 1941 by the Croatian collaborationist
government, abolished with the end of World War II.
Finally, following Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991, Kuna currency was introduced as of
30 May 1994 replacing the Croatian Dinar.
Croatian Kuna coins
10 lipa coin
2 kuna coin
20 lipa coin
5 kuna coin
50 lipa coin
25 kuna coin
1 kuna coin
Croatian Kuna banknotes
Bank note shows Croatian Duke Fran Krsto
Frankopan and the Croatian Ban Petar Zrinski.
They were Croatian aristocrats and leaders of
the movement for emancipation from Vienna.
They were both executed in 1671 after their
revolt against Vienna failed.
Portrait of Juraj Dobrila, Bishop of Poreč and
Trieste from the 19th century. He was the leader
of the Croatian Revival Movement in the battle
for Croatian rights in Istria. In one of his first
demands to the Istrian Parliament in Poreč, he
asked that the Croatian should become the
official language along with the Italian language.
Castle and the ground plan of
Varaždin Castle, 12th-16th century.
Arena in Pula, Istria built in the 1st century is
one of the six still preserved Roman
amphitheaters. Below is a ground plan of the
small city of Motovun in Istria
Portrait of the Croatian Ban and general Josip
Jelačić from the 19th century. He abolished
serfdom and defended Croatian autonomy.
Motif of the castle of Count Eltz in Vukovar
and the motif of the dove of Vucedol, an
eneolithic ceramic cult vessel in the form of a
bird (3rd b.c.), one of the most beautiful
preserved pieces of Vucedol culture.
Portrait of Ivan Gundulić (1589-1638), the
greatest poet of the Croatian Renaissance
literature, author of the ode to independence of
the Dubrovnik Republic "Oh, beautiful, oh dear,
oh sweet freedom!"
Motif of the old city of Dubrovnik,
until 1808 the capital of the independent
Republic, today on the UNESCO's World
Heritage List.
Portrait of Ivan Mažuranić late 19th century
Croatian Ban and poet, who declared Croatian
language official and imposed obligatory
education. Furthermore, a fragment of the
Baška Inscription from the Convent of St. Lucy
in Baška on the island of Krk.
Portrait of Stjepan Radić (1871-1928), a
charismatic Croatian political leader between the
two world wars, who was assassinated 1928 in
the Yugoslav parliament for speaking his mind
and acting against the injustice.
Motif and a ground plan of the church of St.
Vid in Rijeka, patron of the city.
The church is specific for its octagon ground
plan (early 17th C)
Motif of the building of the general
headquarters in Osijek, the command for
borders of Vojna krajina, as well as the ground
plan of the old fortress in Osijek
Portrait of Marko Marulić (1450-1524), writer
and humanist, the father of Croatian literature.
In 1501 he wrote the first Croatian epic "Judita".
Diocletian's Palace, Split, a late Roman
building from the 3rd century on the
UNSECO's World Heritage List. The birthplace
of Split, the great Dalmatian capital. Below is
the figure of a Croatian ruler from the 11th
century.
Portrait of Ante Stračević, 19th century politician
and the foremost advocate of his time for the
idea of the Croatian nation.
The bill shows the monument to the first
Croatian king from 925 Tomislav, located on
the Tomislav square and a motif of the front
elevation of Zagreb's neogothic cathedral of
St. Stephan.