National Bank immortalizes victims of repressions on commemorative coins
20 June 22:37
The National Bank of Ukraine has issued two new commemorative coins that perpetuate the memory of the victims of Stalin’s repression, writers Mykola Khvylovy and Yulian Shpol. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing official information from the National Bank.
The coins were presented by the Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, Andriy Pyshnyi. The event was also attended by the creative team of the feature film House of the Word. An Endless Novel, including director Taras Tomenko and producer Oleg Shcherbyna.
We honor the memory of the artists of the Executed Renaissance in order to bring back the knowledge of prominent Ukrainians to the present. Their ideas flashed brightly in words, in style, in innovation. They wanted Ukraine to speak with a loud voice. And these are not just names. This is the conscience of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, the heart of that era when the word was a weapon and the idea, unfortunately, a sentence,” Pyshnyi said.
He recalled that both artists were active representatives of the Ukrainian cultural movement of the 1920s and became symbols of the struggle for Ukrainian identity in times of severe censorship and political persecution.
Mykola Khvylovy coin
The reverse of the coin is designed in a complex symbolic style. The mirror background depicts a stylized portrait of the writer framed by irregularly shaped stone slabs. These fragments symbolize the Soviet totalitarian regime’s attempts to imprison not only the body, but also memory, culture, and freedom of speech.
To the right of the portrait, there are vertical inscriptions: Mykola / Fitliov (the artist’s real name, engraved in relief) and Mykola / Khvylovyi (his literary pseudonym, mirrored). On the left are the years of the author’s life: 1893-1933. It is worth recalling that Khvylovyi committed suicide in the midst of a wave of arrests of intellectuals, leaving a letter of protest against repression.
Coin “Julian Szpol”
The second coin is dedicated to Julian Shpol, whose real name was Mykhailo Yalovyi. His portrait on the reverse of the coin has the effect of wear and corrosion, which represents the gradual oblivion that repressed artists suffered. However, the image has been preserved as a symbol of the fact that cultural memory can survive even the most severe trials.
To the right of the image are the inscriptions Mykhailo / Yalovyi (real name) and Julian / Shpol (pseudonym), in relief and mirror, respectively. The years of his life are indicated on the left: 1895-1937. Spohl was arrested in 1933 and executed on fictitious charges of “counterrevolutionary activity.”
About the authors of the project
The coins were designed by well-known Ukrainian authors Volodymyr Taran, Oleksandr Haruk, and Serhii Haruk. The sculptural part of the work was done by Anatolii Demianenko and Volodymyr Atamanchuk. The coins are part of a series designed not only to honor the memory of repressed figures but also to draw attention to the scale of cultural destruction by the Soviet regime.
Sales have started
To buy the commemorative coins “Executed Renaissance. Mykola Khvylyovyi” and “Executed Renaissance. Julian Shpol” commemorative coins will be available from June 20, 2025. The coins will be sold through the NBU’s online numismatic products store, as well as through distributor banks, the list of which is published on the NBU’s official website.
The NBU promises to publish additional information on the terms of the sale in the near future.
Read also: “The Land of Superheroes”: NBU starts selling new coin – only for 1 day
Since the beginning of 2025, the National Bank of Ukraine has issued a number of commemorative coins dedicated to important events, cultural phenomena and symbols of Ukrainian history. All coins are made of nickel silver and have a face value of 5 hryvnias. The mintage of each coin is up to 80,000 copies.
One of the first coins of the year was the Year of the Snake, released in January. It continues the series of coins dedicated to the Eastern calendar. The image of the Snake symbolizes flexibility, intuition and inner strength. The issue is timed to coincide with the East Asian New Year and is intended for a wide range of collectors.
In the same month, the National Bank of Ukraine issued a coin in honor of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. Its release is timed to coincide with the Day of the Foreign Intelligence Service, which is celebrated on January 24. The coin emphasizes the important role of Ukrainian intelligence in ensuring national security, especially in the context of the ongoing war.
In June, the NBU issued two more numismatic objects. The first coin is dedicated to Opishnia ceramics, a unique craft of Poltava region that is part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage. The second is dedicated to a modern weapon of the Ukrainian army – the Bogdan self-propelled artillery system, which symbolizes the country’s combat power and defense potential.
The 2025 commemorative coins are available for purchase in the NBU’s online store, as well as in authorized distributor banks. Information on the start of sales, availability, and price is available on the NBU’s official website and at its partner institutions.
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