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Croatia issued a new commemorative €2 coin on September 21, 2026, dedicated to the city of Vukovar. Its national side features two iconic images of this city in eastern Croatia: the Water Tower and the Danube River.
The issue also comes with a detail that sets it apart from all previous Croatian commemorative €2 coins: 500,000 pieces have been minted, the largest mintage announced to date by Croatia. This figure will make the coin considerably more accessible than other recent issues from the country, although there is a significant difference between its official issue date and when the public can collect it.
A coin with two dates that should be distinguished
The National Bank of Croatia has set September 21, 2026, as the date for the coins to be put into circulation. However, the exchange of the coins for the public will not begin until November 9, 2026.
Between September 21 and October 5—or until the reserved quantity is exhausted—citizens can request a maximum of five coins through the reservation system set up by the central bank. The ordinary coins will be issued at their face value, that is, 2 euros each, although delivery to a Croatian address or collection at certain branches may incur service charges.
Of the 500,000 authorized coins, 490,000 are for regular minting and will be available for exchange. The remaining 10,000 are divided equally between 5,000 Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) coins and 5,000 Proof coins. The Croatian Mint has announced that the special presentations will be available in its shop during November; prices have not yet been released.
The Water Tower: much more than a monument
The central feature of the design is the Vukovar Water Tower, known in Croatian as Vukovarski vodotoranj. Its selection is not solely based on its being the city's most recognizable structure. This building has become one of Croatia's main symbols of resilience, memory, and unity.
The 50.33-meter-tall tower was built between 1963 and 1968 according to the design of architects Petar Kušan and Sergej Kolobov. During the 1991 siege of Vukovar, it sustained 640 direct hits but remained standing. The preservation of the bullet holes that still run across its structure has made that damage an inseparable part of the monument and its current significance.
Beside the tower appears the Danube, the other great element that defines the identity and landscape of Vukovar. The river runs along the lower edge of the coin and acts as a serene counterpoint to the verticality of the monument. It is also the natural route around which the city has developed for centuries.
This is the design of Croatia's new 2 euro coin
The national side features the Water Tower in the center, crowned by the Croatian flag. At its base stretches the riverside landscape, with the Danube River in the foreground. The composition does not reproduce a specific photographic view, but rather condenses into a very small space the two elements that the sender considers essential for recognizing Vukovar.
The inscription “GRAD VUKOVAR” —“City of Vukovar”— occupies the upper portion of the core. Below, the issuing country and year, “HRVATSKA 2026,” are displayed. Near the far right of the landscape are the small initials “MD,” corresponding to its creator, the academic sculptor Duje Matetić. The twelve stars of the European flag encircle the entire design on the outer ring.
The song bears the Croatian inscription "O LIJEPA O DRAGA O SLATKA SLOBODO" in cursive script, which can be translated as "Oh beautiful, oh beloved, oh sweet freedom." The verse comes from the Hymn to Freedom, included in the pastoral work Dubravka, written in the 17th century by Ivan Gundulić.
The common side retains the usual design of the 2 euro coins, by Luc Luycx, featuring the face value and a map of Europe. The coins were minted by the Croatian Mint.
From kunas to the euro: Vukovar changes its symbol
Vukovar had already been featured on Croatian currency before the arrival of the euro. The old 20-kuna note depicted Eltz Palace, one of the city's grand historical buildings. For this new coin, a very different interpretation has been chosen: the palace gives way to a contemporary monument steeped in history and to the river that shapes the city.
This piece is also the third installment in the "Croatian Cities" series. The journey began in 2024 with the fortress in Varaždin's old town, continued in 2025 with the Roman amphitheater in Pula, and now reaches the historical region of Slavonia for the first time with Vukovar.
Coin specifications
Issuing country Croatia
Year 2026
Face value 2 euros
Series Croatian cities
Reason Vukovar City: Water Tower and Danube River
Date of issue September 21, 2026
Exchange for the public From November 9, 2026
Total print run 500,000 coins
Distribution by quality 490,000 UNC, 5,000 BU and 5,000 Proof
Author Duje Matetić
Mint Croatian Mint
Weight 8.50 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Singing «O LIJEPA OR DRAGA OR SLATKA SLOBODO»
With a print run of half a million, the new Vukovar 2 euro note is not a deliberately limited issue. Its appeal lies in the power of its design, the history it encapsulates, and the real possibility that a significant portion of the mintage will reach the public at face value. For collectors outside Croatia, November will be the key month to learn about the special presentations and see how its international distribution begins.
Commemorative 2 euro coins 2026
Croatian commemorative 2 euro coins
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