National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by Croatia

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 10 February 2009  (2), euro-area Member States and countries that have concluded a monetary agreement with the European Union providing for the issuing of euro coins are allowed to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, particularly that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country: Croatia

Subject of commemoration: The 500th anniversary of Marko Marulić’s enduring legacy

Description of the design: In recognition of this significant milestone, the Government of the Republic of Croatia has proclaimed 2024 as the Year of Marko Marulić. The central motif of the national side of the coin is the portrait of Marko Marulić (1450-1524), Croatian writer. Marko Marulić (Marul) was born in Split in 1450 and is a prominent representative of European Christian humanism and Renaissance epics. His literary works, mostly written in Latin, are comprised of works in verse and prose, his literary models being the Bible, the Church Fathers' philosophy and classical antiquity. He wrote the epic poem Judita, his magnum opus, in Croatian. It is the first artistic epic in Croatian literature composed in the Croatian language to contain the underlying poetics of Virgil and the Biblical epics. In it, Marulić achieved a true Renaissance synthesis of Croatian, Latin and Italian literary tradition, thus creating a masterpiece. Completed in 1501, it was first published twenty years later.

The coin also features the inscriptions of the two-letter issuing country code "HR" (Croatia), the year of issuance "2024." and the words "MARKO MARULIĆ", which are all inscribed circularly along the edge of the coin's core.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Estimated number of coins to be issued: 200 000

Date of issue: October 2024

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(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national faces of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 10 February 2009 and the Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (OJ L 9, 14.1.2009, p. 52).