Croatian kuna

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Croatian kuna hrvatska kuna (Croatian)
200 kuna 5 kuna
ISO 4217 Code	HRK
User(s)	Croatia
Inflation	2.9%
Source	Central Bureau of Statistics, December 2008
Method	CPI excluding rents, gross fixed capital formation, lotteries and gambling, and life insurance[1]
Subunit
1/100	lipa
Symbol	kn
lipa	lp
Plural	The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms. See article.
Coins
Freq. used	5, 10, 20, 50 lipa, 1, 2, 5 kn
Rarely used	1, 2 lipa, 25 kn
Banknotes
Freq. used	10, 20, 50, 100, 200 kn
Rarely used	5, 500, 1000 kn
Central bank	Croatian National Bank
Website	www.hnb.hr
Printer	Giesecke & Devrient
Website	www.gi-de.com
Mint	Croatian Monetary Institute
Website	www.hnz.hr

The kuna is the currency of Croatia (ISO 4217 code: HRK). The word "kuna" means "marten" in Croatian since it is based on the use of marten pelts as units of value in medieval trading. It has no relation to the various currencies named "koruna" (translated as kruna in Croatian).

Contents 1 Early usage 2 First kuna, 1941–1945 2.1 Coins 2.2 Banknotes 3 Second kuna, 1994–present 3.1 Coins 3.2 Banknotes 4 Current HRK exchange rates 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Early usage

During Roman times, in the provinces of upper and lower Pannonia (today Hungary and Slavonia), taxes were collected in the then highly valued marten skins. Hence, the Croatian word "marturina" or tax, derived from the Latin word "martus" (Croatian: "kuna"). The kuna was a currency unit in several Slavic states, most notably Kievan Rus and its successors until the early 15th century. It was equal to ¹⁄₂₅ (later ¹⁄₅₀) gryvna of silver.

In the Middle Ages, many foreign monies were used in Croatia, but since at least 1018 a local currency was in use. Between 1260 and 1380, the Croatian Viceroys were making a marten-adorned silver coin called the banovac [1][2]. However, the diminishing autonomy of Croatia within the Croatia-Hungarian Kingdom led to the gradual disappearance of that currency.

[edit] First kuna, 1941–1945

The idea of a kuna currency reappeared in 1939 when the Banovina of Croatia, established within the Yugoslav Monarchy, planned to issue its own money.

The Croatian kuna was introduced in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) on 26 July 1941. It was subdivided into 100 banica. The kuna replace the Yugoslav dinar at par and was fixed to the German Reichsmark (RM) with dual exchange rates,^{[citation needed]} one fixed at 20 kuna = 1 RM, the other a state-stimulated rate of

• 31 December 1941 - 25.00 Kn = 1 RM
• 31 December 1942 - 37.50 Kn = 1 RM
• 31 December 1943 - 40.00 Kn = 1 RM
• 31 December 1944 - 80.00 Kn = 1 RM
• 6 May 1945 - 120.00 Kn = 1 RM

The kuna was withdrawn from circulation from 30 June to 9 July, 1945 and replaced by the 1944 issue of the Yugoslav dinar at a rate of 40 kuna = 1 dinar.

[edit] Coins

Zinc coins were issued in denominations of 1 and 2 kune in 1941, but only the 2 kune pieces are available today in appreciable numbers.

[edit] Banknotes

10 kuna

100 kuna

500 kuna

Kuna banknotes were introduced by the government in 1941, in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 kuna. These were followed in 1942 by notes for 50 banicas and 1 and 2 kunas. In 1943, the Hrvatska Državna Banka (Croatian State Bank) introduced 100, 1000 and 5000 kuna notes. The notes were printed in Germany by Giesecke & Devrient.

Notes were also issued by partisan groups. These included the Zagreb Government Region (Oblasni Narod. Oslobod. Odbor Zagrebačke Oblasti), the Croatian Anti-Fascist Authority (Zemaljsko Antifašističko Vijeće Hrvatske) and the Croatian Anti-Fascist Government Authority (Zemaljsko Antifašističko Vijeće Narodnog Oslobodenja Hrvatske). The Zagreb Government Region issued notes for 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000 and 50,000 kunas. The Croatian Anti-Fascist Authority and Croatian Anti-Fascist Government Authority issued notes in 1943, denominated in both dinars and kunas, for 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000 and 100,000 kunas/dinars. Notes for 100, 500 and 1000 liras were also issued without indication as to the value in kunas.

[edit] Second kuna, 1994–present

The modern kuna was introduced in June, 1994, after a transitional period during which the Yugoslav dinar was replaced with the Croatian dinar. The exchange rate between dinar and kuna was 1 kuna = 1000 dinara. The modern kuna is subdivided into 100 lipa. The word lipa means "linden (lime) tree". The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute.

The choice of the name kuna was controversial for a number of Croatian citizens, including the Serb minority, as this currency name had been used by the World War II Independent State of Croatia. The Croatian government claimed continuity in the historical use of marten pelts, the use of a marten adorned coin by Croatian viceroys and the consideration of the kuna during the Banovina of Croatia in the first Yugoslavia. Detractors accused the government of attempting to establish symbolic continuity of modern Croatia with the World War II extremist Fascist regime, and using these relatively little known historical facts as an excuse. An alternative proposition for the name of the new currency was kruna (crown) after the Austro-Hungarian krone. However, this proposition was challenged on the same basis as the previous, since the kruna was proposed to be divided in 100 banica. Additionally, terms like kruna (crown) and banica (viceroy's wife) were found inappropriate for the country which is a republic. [3] The transition to the new currency went smoothly and the controversy quickly blew over.

The self-proclaimed Serbian entity Republic of Serbian Krajina did not use the kuna or the Croatian dinar. Instead, they issued their own dinar until Krajina was integrated back into Croatia in 1995.

[edit] Coins

In 1994, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 lipa (Croatian word for linden or tilia tree), 1, 2 and 5 kuna. The coins are issued in two versions: one with the name of the plant or animal in Croatian (issued in odd years), the other with the name in Latin (issued in even years).

Denomination	Obverse Design
	Croatian	Latin	English translation
1 lipa	kukuruz	Zea mays	Maize
2 lipa	vinova loza	Vitis vinifera	Grapevine
5 lipa	hrast lužnjak	Quercus robur	Oak
10 lipa	duhan	Nicotiana tabacum	Tobacco
20 lipa	maslina	Olea europaea	Olive
50 lipa	velebitska degenija	Degenia velebitica	Degenia
1 kuna	slavuj	Luscinia megarhynchos	Nightingale
2 kune	tuna	Thunnus thynnus	Tuna
5 kuna	mrki medvjed	Ursus arctos	Brown Bear

A number of commemorative designs have also been issued for circulation, see Commemorative coins of the Croatian kuna.

[edit] Banknotes

Denomination	Obverse Design	Reverse Design
5 kuna (withdrawn)	Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan	Varaždin's Old Town fortress, mirrored view
10 kuna	Juraj Dobrila	Arena colosseum in Pula and the city plan of Motovun
20 kuna	Josip Jelačić	The castle of Count Eltz in Vukovar
50 kuna	Ivan Gundulić	Dubrovnik; historic, UNESCO-protected town core
100 kuna	Ivan Mažuranić	Rijeka; church of St. Vid
200 kuna	Stjepan Radić	Osijek; the building of the High Command at Tvrđa
500 kuna	Marko Marulić	Split; Diocletian's Palace
1000 kuna	Ante Starčević	Statue of King Tomislav and the Zagreb cathedral

Current HRK exchange rates

From Currate.com Tools:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From Yahoo! Finance:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From XE.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
From OANDA.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD

[edit] See also

• Krajina dinar
• Reproduction of Croatian currency
• Economy of Croatia

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Money of Croatia

• Kuna banknotes, Croatian National Bank
• Kuna exchange rates, Croatian National Bank
• Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & European Integration - History of the Croatian kuna
• Croatian government site: The Republic of Croatia and its currency
• Forenzičari novca (Croatian)

WWII Croatian kuna

Preceded by: Yugoslav 1918 dinar Reason: establishment of a pro-Axis puppet state

Currency of Independent State of Croatia 1941 – 1945

Succeeded by: Yugoslav 1944 dinar Reason: reunification of Yugoslavia as a result of World War II Ratio: 1 dinar = 40 kuna

Modern Croatian kuna

Preceded by: Croatian dinar Reason: inflation Ratio: 1 kuna = 1000 dinara	Currency of Croatia except for Republic of Serbian Krajina June 1, 1994 – August 1995	Currency of Croatia August 1995 –	Succeeded by: Current
Preceded by: Serbian Krajina 1994 dinar Reason: reunification

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