Croatian Rulers – A New Coin Series
Croatia is proud of its long and rich history. The Croatian National Bank, in cooperation with the Croatian Mint, is dedicating a new coin series for collectors to their country’s history, focusing on Croatia’s rulers. The first King of Croatia was King Tomislav, who is depicted on the first coin in this series.
Content
The Croatian National Bank and the Croatian Mint are pleased to present collectors with their new coin series dedicated to important Croatian rulers. The first issue in the series of five is dedicated to King Tomislav.
King Tomislav is known as the man who united Croatia into one kingdom after the turmoil of the Migration Period. Although many details of his biography remain unknown, it is certain that he reigned over the Croats as their king in 925. A primary source, a papal letter from that year, refers to Tomislav as King of the Croats.
The Roots of the Croatian Nation
After the Romans withdrew from what is now Croatia, a new people began to settle in this fertile land. They consisted of various communities, each grouped around a duke, usually the one who was the most powerful and promised the most effective protection. Tomislav was probably one of them, but he was more talented, more determined and perhaps also a little smarter than his peers. He knew that the many dangers posed by neighbouring peoples could only be overcome by forging an alliance with the other dukes.
Tomislav found his first allies when he raised a large army to stop the Hungarians from plundering. He also had a close relationship with the Pope in Rome, whose legates he protected as they passed through his realm. This also set him apart from the other dukes. However, Tomislav’s diplomatic talents really came to the fore when war with the Bulgarian Empire was imminent. He united the dukes of Croatia under his leadership and forged an alliance with the Byzantine Emperor.
The title “King of the Croats” was probably quite useful in this context, as – according to the Christian world view– this title placed him above the dukes of the country. For this reason, Tomislav had himself crowned the first King of the Croats. When exactly? We do not know. The coronation must have taken place before 925, because it was in that year that the well-informed papal chancellery wrote the aforementioned letter addressing him by that title.
In 926 Tomislav won the decisive battle against the Bulgarians and made peace with them. What happened to Tomislav after that? We do not know. He disappeared from the political landscape after 928.
It was only centuries later that Tomislav became Croatia’s great national hero. Today, his equestrian statue greets visitors to Zagreb in front of the main railway station.
The King Tomislav gold coin with a weight of 100 g and a face value of 200 euros.
The 1-ounce King Tomislav gold coin of 100 euros.
The 1/16-ounce King Tomislav gold coin of 10 euros.
The 1-ounce King Tomislav silver coin of 4 euros
The Design
We do not know what King Tomislav looked like as no contemporary depiction has survived. Throughout the centuries, artists have repeatedly given him a recognisable face. The one depicted on Croatia’s commemorative coins was created by Nikola Vudrag, who has produced a number of designs for the Croatian Mint. The obverse of the coins, which all show the same motif, depicts the bust of a bearded man in his prime, with a simple crown to the right; the inscription reads ANNO / DOMINI 925. KRALJ TOMILAV. The reverse depicts an olive tree. We know that these trees can live for several millennia (!) and have roots that often reach deeper into the ground than the trees grow upwards. They are therefore a wonderful symbol for any country that takes as much pride in its past as Croatia. The circumscription on the reverse reads REPUBLIKA – HRVATSKA with the respective face value.
Crown and cloak of the 6-euro silver version are partially plated with gold and ruthenium.
The 2-ounce King Tomislav silver coin with partial plating and a face value of 6 euros.
Issue Date and Price
As of 20 March 2025, most coins can be purchased directly from the shop of the Croatian Mint at croatianmint.hr/en/trgovina/; the 2-ounced silver version will be launched in the shop in May.
The price of all pieces is adjusted on a daily basis, depending on the current precious metal price. Added to this is the VAT of the country the buyer has the coin shipped to. The 10-euro gold version sold out within a few minutes, but there are still few remaining specimens available of the other versions.
|
200 euros |
2025 |
King Tomislav |
100 g |
45 mm |
Gold .9999 |
Proof |
100 |
Serial number |
|
100 euros |
2025 |
King Tomislav |
31.103 g – 1 ounce |
32 mm |
Gold .9999 |
Proof |
300 |
Serial number |
|
10 euros |
2025 |
King Tomislav |
1.944 g – 1/16 ounce |
15 mm |
Gold .9999 |
Proof |
1000 |
Serial number |
|
6 euros |
2025 |
King Tomislav |
62.207 g – 2 ounces |
45 mm |
Silver .9999 |
Proof |
500 |
Serial number |
|
4 euros |
2025 |
King Tomislav |
31.103 g – 1 ounce |
38.61 mm |
Silver .9999 |
Proof |
2000 |
Serial number |
