Numizmatičke Vijesti, Vol. 57 No. 68, 2015.
Original scientific paper
On the Ustasha Emigrants’ Plans from 1934 to Introduce the Kuna as Official Currency
Krunoslav Mikulan
; Zagreb University, Zagreb, CRO
Abstract
Writers about the 5 kuna silver coin, minted in 1934, drew different conclusions,
some of them contradictory. The original documents kept in Belgrade, accessible on
microfilm in the Croatian State Archives, shed light on many details of the activities of
the Ustasha Movement in Italy aimed at actually introducing the “kuna” monetary unit
(which was to be divided in 100 “banicas”). The Ustasha Headquarters published provisions
in 1934 about the reasons for introducing the above names. These provisions also
described the 5 kuna coin, brought a list of exchange rates with the main world currencies
of the time, and laid down the exact pay in kunas for officials, priests and military
and administrative officers. The conclusion is that the coins really had been minted in
1934, not to commemorate the assassination of King Aleksandar but as the first step
towards introducing the new currency, first among members of the Ustasha Movement
and then, in the as yet undefined future, in Croatia itself. On the other hand, documents
confirm that no purchases or sales were made using this money and, despite the detailed
instructions, salaries were not in fact paid in kunas, but members of the Ustasha
Movement bought the coins as souvenirs. The further production of kunas and banicas
was prevented by Italy’s reaction to the assassination of King Aleksandar, when Ante
Pavelić was interned and later the activities of the whole Ustasha organisation banned.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
164310
URI
Publication date:
10.11.2015.
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