The National Bank of Ukraine (the NBU) has launched a new thematic series of circulation commemorative coins dedicated to the unity of Ukraine, its indivisibility, and its administrative districts.
The presentation of these coins served as the occasion for a public discussion titled “United and Indivisible,” featuring Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko, and Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Andriy Pyshnyy.
On 1 December, the anniversary of the 1991 All-Ukrainian Referendum on the adoption of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, the state leaders discussed the topics of state-building, unity, and the territorial integrity of Ukraine with students from the Ukrainian Leadership Academy and from the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv, as well as with young NBU employees. The discussion was moderated by Dmytro Koshovyi, the editor-in-chief of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“‘We are strong. We are united’ is the main message the NBU is minting onto the circulation commemorative coins of the new series,” emphasized NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy during the coin presentation. “Through them, the NBU is reminding people that the territorial integrity of the country, as an unshakable principle enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine, must remain unchanged. “Every region of Ukraine has its own history, but we are all united and indivisible.”
Pyshnyy added that the NBU plans to continue issuing circulation commemorative coins in this series over the next two years, dedicating coins to every oblast of Ukraine. In total, 54 million coins in this series will be issued into circulation.
“Coins are not just about economics or circulation,” said Stefanchuk. “They are about symbols that forge a common identity. Much like our embroidery or our songs, they remind us: we are united, we are whole, we are monolithic. The idea behind this series very accurately conveys what is holding the country together today. This symbolism is especially poignant now, 34 years after the All-Ukrainian Referendum of 1 December 1991. Back then, Ukraine’s citizens confirmed the Act of Declaration of Independence, giving the state a national mandate for freedom and independence.”
“It is symbolic that the presentation of this coin series about our unity is taking place today, on the anniversary of the Independence Referendum,” said Svyrydenko. “That day marked the start of the countdown to the restoration of independence. Ukrainians, with an absolute majority of votes in all regions, granted the mandate for the state sovereignty of Ukraine. Today, our Defense Forces are continuing to protect that mandate. Over these years, we as a nation have learned that the key to preserving our territorial integrity and independence is a strong military, strong state institutions, our economic self-sufficiency, and – most crucially – our unity. We must cherish it.”
Answering questions from the students, NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy noted: “It is the younger generation that will nurture Ukraine’s future, and without them, it is impossible to lay the foundation for a stable, secure, and just state. Today, Ukrainian diplomacy, the president of Ukraine, the country’s government and parliament are all working to achieve a lasting, just peace and to create security conditions in which young people can realize their potential. The unity of generations in this process is paramount.”
Design of the new coins
On 1 December 2025, the NBU issued into circulation the first three circulation commemorative coins of the new series. These coins are dedicated to the regions that were the first to find themselves at the epicenter of russian aggression:
- We Are Strong. We Are United. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea
- We Are Strong. We Are United. Donetsk Oblast
- We Are Strong. We Are United. Luhansk Oblast
The coins have a face value of 10 hryvnias, and are made of nickel-plated zinc-based alloy.
The obverses of the three new coins are identical to the obverse of the 10-hryvnia circulation coin designed in 2018, featuring in the center, surrounded by an Old Rus ornament, the coins’ face value, issue year, and Ukraine’s state coat-of-arms.
The main element of the reverses of these coins is a stylized map of Ukraine with clearly defined administrative borders and with the region to which the coin is dedicated highlighted by shading.
- More specifically, on the “We Are Strong. We Are United. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea” coin the region of Crimea is shaded
- on the “We Are Strong. We Are United. Donetsk Oblast” coin Donetsk oblast is shaded
- on the “We Are Strong. We Are United. Luhansk Oblast” coin Luhansk oblast is shaded
The coins’ reverses were designed by Oleksandra Kuchynska; while the coins’ obverses were designed by Volodymyr Demianenko. The coins were engraved by Volodymyr Demianenko.
The coins’ circulation and sales
These coins are legal tender in Ukraine and shall be unconditionally accepted by all legal entities and private individuals across the whole of Ukraine for all payments, entries into accounts, deposits, letters of credit and payment transactions.
The NBU will gradually supply banks and CIT companies with these coins for the coins to be issued to their clients. These coins will be accepted from clients as ordinary circulation coins at their 10-hryvnia face value.
The NBU will gradually issue 2 million of each circulation commemorative coin into circulation.
However, some of these coins will be made into specially-designed rolls. Each roll will contain 25 circulation commemorative coins, and 15,000 units of each coin roll will be issued.
The first roll of commemorative coins “We Are Strong. We Are United. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea” will go on sale from 3 December 2025 through the NBU’s online numismatic store.
The rolls of circulation commemorative coins dedicated to Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts will go on sale through the NBU’s online numismatic store later, as they are delivered from the NBU’s Banknote Printing and Minting Works.
You can find more details about the starting date of the sale of these rolls by the distributing banks on the official websites of these banks.