On the occasion of Military Intelligence Day on 5 September 2023, the National Bank of Ukraine (the NBU) issued into circulation a commemorative coin named "Ukraine’s Military Intelligence." This coin celebrates heroic intelligence soldiers, who are successfully defending the national interests of Ukraine.
The new coin was presented by NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy and Major General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.
"Military intelligence is a high-tech and highly intellectual component of Ukraine’s security and defense forces," said Pyshnyy. "Being an intelligence officer is not only a calling, but also a daily, conscious and difficult choice. Being an intelligence officer in Ukraine is an honor and responsibility. The success and achievements of intelligence officers are usually not widely known, but the time will come when Ukrainians discover the unknown names of present-day heroes. We cannot now thank every intelligence officer, but we can honor military intelligence. Therefore, to show respect and gratitude to Ukrainian intelligence officers, the NBU has issued into circulation the coin "Ukraine’s Military Intelligence." This coin celebrates the true invincibility and fortitude of Ukrainian heroes."
Pyshnyy stressed that this commemorative coin perpetuates the professionalism and valor of Ukrainian intelligence officers, who are effectively fighting back against the Kremlin invaders, and together with other defense forces units, are gradually liberating temporarily captured territories on all sections of the front, and bringing our common victory closer.
"I’m convinced that this unique coin will be a good memory of our heroic struggle against the invaders, and will embellish the most sophisticated collections of numismatists," said Budanov. "The greatest value of this coin is that it is being issued during a full-scale invasion, thus symbolizing the domination of fighting spirit over danger."
The obverse of this coin depicts the emblem of the Main Intelligence Directorate in the center on a matte background. The reverse of the coin features the following circular legend: ВОЄННА РОЗВІДКА УКРАЇНИ (Ukraine’s Military Intelligence) and the slogan of military intelligence officers in Latin: SAPIENS DOMINABITUR ASTRIS (a wise person will rule over the stars); in the center, against the backdrop of the surface of the globe is an owl that pierces the outlines of the aggressor country with a sword (the trident - Ukraine’s small coat of arms - is depicted on the hilt of the sword).
This commemorative coin will go on sale from 6 September 2023 through the NBU’s online numismatic store. Overall, the NBU plans to sell 10,000 of these commemorative coins through its online store, with all of them being available from the day they go on sale.
In addition, more of the coins will be also gradually sold by distributing banks (UKRGASBANK JSB, RADABANK JSB, TASCOMBANK JSC, and CB PRIVATBANK JSC), as they are delivered from the NBU’s Banknote Printing and Minting Works. You can find more details about the starting date of sale and points of sale on the official websites of the distributing banks.
This commemorative coin has a face value of 5 hryvnias, and is made of nickel silver in special uncirculated quality. It has a weight of 16.5 g, and a diameter of 35 mm. The mintage of the coin is up to 75,000 units. The coin’s edge is grooved.
It was designed by Tetiana Baluta and engraved by Volodymyr Demianenko.