C 364/4
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
23.9.2022
10, 20 and 50 cent: Nikola Tesla with the Croatian checkerboard in the background The central part of the coin features a portrait of Nikola Tesla surrounded by magnetic field lines.
The lines extend from the portrait to the circle of 12 stars, symbolising Nikola Tesla’s connection to EU Member States where he spent a part of his life.
Nikola Tesla, Croatian, European and American inventor of Serbian origin, was born in Croatia in the village of Smiljan on 10 July 1856.
He attended school in Croatia in Smiljan, Gospić and Karlovac, where he graduated.
His patents and his theoretical work set the stage for global electrification, while his work in the field of high-frequency electric currents and wireless transmission of electromagnetic waves paved the way for the development of radio technology and telecommunications.
One of his most famous inventions, the Tesla transformer (Tesla coil), invented in 1891, was used to produce high voltage, high-frequency alternating current electricity.
The term ‘tesla’ was adopted as a unit of magnetic induction at the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1960.
To the left of the portrait and magnetic field lines is the Croatian checkerboard, the part of the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia.
Between magnetic field lines, at the top to the left is the inscription of the issuing country while the year of issuance appears at the bottom to the right.
1 euro: Marten with the Croatian checkerboard in the background The national side of the 1-euro coin depicts a marten with the Croatian checkerboard in the background.
The central part of the coin's national side features an image of a marten.
This fast and dexterous animal with precious dark brown fur and a yellow patch on the neck and chest is a symbol of the Croatian monetary history.
In the Middle Ages, marten pelts were used for payment in kind for taxes (kunovina or marturina) in Slavonia, the Croatian Littoral and Dalmatia.
They went on to become a unit of account and then to function as money in the modern sense of the word.
In addition, the image of a marten was displayed on the coin called banovac, as the first motif shown on a Croatian currency, from the first half of the 13th century to the late 14th century, hence its important role in the Croatian monetary and fiscal history.
Displayed behind the marten is the Croatian checkerboard, a part of the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia.
The inscription of the issuing country 'HRVATSKA' is at the top left and the year of issuance '2023.' is inscribed at the bottom right.
2 euro: Geographical map of the Republic of Croatia with the Croatian checkerboard in the background The central part of the coin features a symbolic and stylized geographical representation of the Republic of Croatia.
Croatia's distinctive and recognisable geographical shape reflects both its geographical features and its historical circumstances.
Croatia geographically stretches from the vast Pannonian Plain, over the Dinaric range to the Adriatic Coast, one of the most indented coastlines in the world, and a multitude of islands.
One half of the Croatian territory is in the Pannonian region, one third in the coastal Adriatic region and the remaining part is in the mountainous Dinaric region.
To achieve harmony of the coin design, featuring behind the geographical map is strict regularity of the Croatian checkerboard, the part of the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia, which is in contrast to the very ‘organic’ borders, with the year of issuance integrated in the central part to the right.
At the bottom to the left, positioned in the same line as the image of the geographical map, is the inscription of the issuing country.
The edge lettering of the coin features the most beautiful verses from the Hymn to Freedom ‘O lijepa, o draga, o slatka slobodo’ (‘Oh beautiful, oh dear, oh sweet freedom’), which is an integral part of the pastoral play ‘Dubravka’ by the 17th century writer Ivan Gundulić.