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Croatian kuna hrvatska kuna (Croatian)
200 kuna 5 kuna
ISO 4217 Code	HRK
User(s)	Croatia
Inflation	3.4%
Source	The World Factbook, 2006 est.
Subunit
1/100	lipa
Symbol	kn
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	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 lipa, 1, 2, 5, 25 kn
Banknotes	5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 kn
Central bank	Croatian National Bank
Website	www.hnb.hr
Printer	Giesecke & Devrient
Website	www.gi-de.com

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".

Contents 1 Early usage 2 First kuna, 1939-1945 2.1 Coins 2.2 Banknotes 3 Second kuna, 1994-present 3.1 Coins 3.2 Banknotes 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

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.

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The kuna was withdrawn from circulation from 30 June to 9 July 1945 and replaced by the 1944 issue of the Yugoslav dinar at a rate of 40 kuna = 1 dinar.

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.

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 banica and 1 and 2 kuna. 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 kuna. The Croatian Anti-Fascist Authority and Croatian Anti-Fascist Government Authority issued notes in 1943, denominated in both dinara and kuna, for 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000 and 100,000 kuna/dinara. Notes for 100, 500 and 1000 lire were also issued without indication as to the value in kuna.

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 WWII extremist 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.

In 1994, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 20, 20 and 50 lipa, 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
1 lipa	Maize (Zea mays)
2 lipe	Grapevine (Vitis vinifera)
5 lipa	Oak (Quercus robur)
10 lipa	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
20 lipa	Olive (Olea europaea)
50 lipa	Degenia (Degenia velebitica)
1 kuna	Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
2 kune	Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)
5 kuna	Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)

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

Denomination	Obverse Design	Reverse Design
5 kuna	Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan	Varaždin's Old Town fortress, mirrored view
10 kuna	Juraj Dobrila	Arena colosseum in Pula
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

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

• Don's World Coin Gallery - Croatia
• Ron Wise's World Paper Money - Croatia ^{Mirror site}
• The Global History of Currencies - Croatia
• Global Financial Data data series - Croatia Kuna Exchange Rate
• Global Financial Data currency histories table ( Microsoft Excel format)
• Kuna banknotes, Croatian National Bank
• Kuna exchange rates, Croatian National Bank
• Croatian kuna
• Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & European Integration - History of the Croatian kuna
• Croatian government site: The Republic of Croatia and its currency

WWII Croatian kuna

Preceded by: Yugoslav 1918 dinar Reason: establishment of a pro-Germany 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 by force

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