The National Bank of Ukraine and Narodowy Bank Polski will issue the joint set of commemorative coins Friendship and Brotherhood are the Greatest Wealth. It will be put into circulation on 24 August 2023 – the Independence Day of Ukraine.
The joint issue continues the long-term fruitful cooperation between the central banks of Ukraine and Poland.
“From the very beginning of the full-scale russian invasion the Polish people was one of the first to support Ukraine demonstrating humanism and sincerity, solidarity and partnership. We are grateful to the entire Polish nation for the invaluable help, particularly for giving shelter to millions of Ukrainians who were escaping the horrors of war,” said the NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy. “We are also very grateful to Narodowy Bank Polski for its multifaceted support, including establishing the FX swap line in the amount of up to USD 1 billion, and the prompt arrangement of cash exchange of Ukrainian hryvnias for Polish złotys for Ukrainian refugees. Special thanks for the implementation of this numismatic project that created an opportunity to depict on the coins the history of our joint fight for the European values and perpetuation of the Ukrainian and Polish brotherhood.”
The joint Ukrainian-Polish set is unique in its shape – it consists of two commemorative silver coins that together form a symbolic heart shape. Their face value is PLN 10/UAH 10.
The total mintage of the set is up to 10,000 pieces (5,000 pieces for each country). The NBU Banknote Printing and Minting Works produces half of the coin’s mintage, while the other half is produced by the Mint of Poland (Mennica Polska S.A.).
The obverses feature colorful ribbons in the colors of Ukraine and Poland, which are decorated with the coats of arms of both countries. The bottom parts of the coins feature stylized images of human figures that symbolize the current situation in both countries: the Ukrainian coin depicts the war with its horrors and the resistance of the Ukrainian people, the Polish coin depicts help, support, and compassion.
The reverses depict symbolic figures of a Ukrainian and a Pole who are sitting at one table covered with a tablecloth, and sharing bread and wine. When two coins are connected, the ornament in the lower part forms a flower – a symbol of hope, life, and development.
The coins were designed by Ukraine’s Honored Artist Volodymyr Taran.
In Ukraine, the set of two commemorative silver coins Friendship and Brotherhood are the Greatest Wealth can be purchased starting from 31 August 2023 in the NBU online store of numismatic products and from distributor banks: UKRGASBANK JSB, RADABANK JSB, TASCOMBANK JSC, and CB PRIVATBANK JSC. The distributor banks will receive the coins from the NBU in stages as they are produced by the NBU Banknote Printing and Minting Works. The more detailed information on the start of sales and the locations where the coin sets will be sold will be available on the official websites of distributor banks.