Printing of Croatian kuna banknotes

Published: 2/6/2017

CNB's educational video on the printing of kuna banknotes.

The CNB, having the exclusive right to issue kuna banknotes and kuna and lipa coins, organises the printing of banknotes and the minting of coins and secures adequate reserves and a regular supply of banknotes and coins in the Republic of Croatia.
Issued in the denominations of HRK 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000, kuna banknotes are printed in certified foreign printing houses, selected through international tenders. The name of the monetary unit "kuna" derives from the Croatian word for marten, whose pelts were used in the Croatian lands as a means of trade, functioning as money. The banknote design is by Miroslav Šutej, Šimun Šutej and Vilko Žiljak. Each banknote has its main colour and on the obverse features a prominent Croatian historical or cultural figure, except for the 5 kuna banknote, which on the obverse bears an image of two Croatian noblemen linked by family ties. The reverse of each banknote displays a panorama or a typical town motif of a Croatian town. The monetary unit of the Republic of Croatia was introduced on 30 May 1994.

The CNB pays due consideration to the protection against currency counterfeiting so that kuna banknotes and kuna and lipa coins have innovative security features that are easy to verify and difficult to imitate. The National Programme of Training Courses on Banknote and Coin Authentication is carried out on a regular basis and there is an ongoing supply of new banknotes, with worn and damaged banknotes separated to facilitate authentication. The CNB cooperates on a daily basis with the Police National Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime of the Ministry of Interior and with the State's Attorney Office of the Republic of Croatia.