Rare commemorative coins minted by the National Bank of Ukraine have reached market values of up to seven million hryvnias, a museum report by financial portal Minfin has revealed.
The most valuable exhibit featured in the collection is a gold coin commemorating Ukraine's hosting of the UEFA Euro 2012 football tournament. Strikingly crafted from 500 grams of pure gold, the item carries an estimated market value of between six million and seven million hryvnias, according to financial analyst Oleksiy Kozyrev.
The National Bank of Ukraine, the nation's central bank based in Kyiv, routinely issues commemorative and bullion coinage to mark major historical milestones, state anniversaries, and notable events. These specialized issues are displayed at the central bank's museum, which holds some of the country's rarest monetary artifacts.
Precious metals and gemstone inlays
The museum showcase includes several other oversized coins struck in gold and silver, weighing either 500 grams or one kilogram. Among these is a silver investment coin titled "To the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine's Independence," which weighs half a kilogram and features selective gold plating. Kozyrev stated that its market value currently exceeds 400,000 hryvnias.
Some of the central bank's commemorative issues also incorporate precious gemstones. The silver "International Year of Astronomy" coin, weighing one kilogram, is inlaid with a 0.2-carat topaz.
Another highly prized piece is the "25 Years of Ukraine's Independence" gold coin, containing two troy ounces of gold. Kozyrev explained that the coin drew intense interest due to its extremely small mintage and immediate purchase by numismatists following its release, adding that surviving specimens rarely appear on the market and can literally be counted on one's fingers.
Historic designs and recent releases
The collection also contains a 2010 gold coin with a face value of one hryvnia. The piece reproduces the design of Ukraine's standard circulating one-hryvnia coin depicting Grand Prince Volodymyr the Great, the 11th-century ruler of Kyiv, but is minted entirely in solid gold.
In addition, the museum houses a 500-hryvnia gold coin from the "Oranta" series, recognized as one of the rarest items in the lineup. Representatives of the museum said that such large-scale gold and silver coins represent some of the most valuable holdings in Ukrainian numismatics.
The National Bank continues to expand its commemorative catalog with recent and upcoming releases. In July, the central bank issued a new coin titled "Ukrainian Cotton. Sea Baby Naval Drone," celebrating the uncrewed surface vessel developed by specialists from the Security Service of Ukraine for combat operations in the Black Sea.
The bank has also decided to issue a commemorative coin in 2026 dedicated to Pope John Paul II. The release will mark the 25th anniversary of the late pontiff's historic Apostolic visit to Ukraine in June 2001.
