The National Bank of Ukraine has decided to allow the use of 10-hryvnia commemorative coins from the "Armed Forces of Ukraine" special issue series as circulating coins for cash transactions.
The NBU’s decision was made in view of numerous requests from the public for the free circulation and better availability of such coins, as well as for more emphasis on the key role of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in protecting the country’s independence.
"The circulating commemorative coins with images of insignia and of members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will serve as a reminder for millions of Ukrainians every day about the Ukrainian soldiers who are currently defending on the battlefield Ukraine's right to freedom," said Deputy NBU Governor Oleksii Shaban.
All commemorative coins from these special issues will be transferred to banks and cash-in-transit (CIT) companies for further issuance to customers and/or acceptance from customers as ordinary 10-hryvnia circulating coins. Distributing banks are not to sell these coins as numismatic products.
The special commemorative coin issues concerned are:
- The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- The Navy of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- The Ground Forces of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- The Airborne Force of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
- Fallen Defenders’ Day
- The Air Force of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
- Ukrainian Peacekeeping Soldiers
- Soldier KrAZ-6322
- Standing Guard over Life (honoring combat medics)
- 100 Years since the Creation of the Ukrainian Navy
- Ukrainian Volunteer Day
- Defenders of Donetsk Airport.
The NBU launched this series of special commemorative coins in 2018. It now consists of 14 commemorative coins, the first of which was a coin dedicated to defenders of Donetsk Airport. The mintage number for each of the coins was planned to be a million units.
Currently, the NBU has about 5.5 million units of such coins to supply to banks and CIT companies for servicing their customers. In the future, the NBU plans to increase mintage numbers and launch more series of circulating commemorative coins by releasing them several times a year, in line with international practice.