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A new commemorative coin will soon appear in Ukraine. It will be dedicated to Pope John Paul II — an outstanding spiritual leader and one of the most influential Poles of the 20th century, who called himself a friend of the Ukrainian people.
What is known about the new coin
The idea to issue a coin on the occasion of the 25-anniversary of the historic papal visit to Ukraine was presented on Friday, 7 August. Details were given by National Bank head Andriy Pyshnyi and by Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Holy See, Andriy Yurash.
The new issue will be put into circulation in 2026 year. The regulator will provide additional details about the design, denomination, mintage, and presentation.
This is not the first time the National Bank has commemorated Ukrainian–Polish solidarity in metal. In 2023 year, together with Narodowy Bank Polski it issued a set of commemorative silver coins “Friendship and Brotherhood — the Greatest Wealth,” dedicated to the partnership of the two countries and support after the start of the full-scale invasion.
Why John Paul II was chosen
In his address to Ukrainians and Poles in 2003 year, John Paul II urged the peoples to acknowledge past mistakes, forgive the harms done, and ask forgiveness for their own wrongdoings.
Andriy Pyshnyi
Head of the National Bank of Ukraine
Today we present the decision — to preserve the memory of a person and ideas that, 25 years after his visit, sound extraordinarily contemporary for Ukraine. Freedom. Dignity. Ukraine’s European calling. The ability of peoples with a difficult shared history not to remain its hostages, but to build a common future.
According to Andriy Yurash, the decision is of special significance because it demonstrates respect for the figure of the Pope, his spiritual and intellectual legacy, which still influences the world today.
Recall that earlier, as a sign of respect and gratitude to the American people, the National Bank also issued silver 10 hryvnias — specially for the celebration of the 250-anniversary of US independence. The mintage was 3 thousand pieces.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "В Україні випустять нову монету, присвячену Іоанну Павлу ІІ". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.
