The National Bank of Ukraine has announced the start of sales for a new commemorative coin with a denomination of 5 hryvnias, which will begin on June 27. The new coin is dedicated to Yulian Shpol, one of the most prominent representatives of the generation of Ukrainian artists from the 1920s to 1930s, who became a symbol of the ‘Executed Renaissance’.
This is reported by Finway
Coin ‘Executed Renaissance. Yulian Shpol’: Features and Price
The coin is titled ‘Executed Renaissance. Yulian Shpol’ and will be available for purchase at a price of 176 hryvnias. The coin can only be purchased in souvenir packaging, and the sale will be limited — each buyer will be able to acquire only one coin. The total mintage is up to 50,000 copies.
According to information from the National Bank, this coin honors the generation of Ukrainian artists who were the driving force behind cultural changes, developing literature, theater, cinema, music, and visual arts, but whose lives and creativity were tragically cut short due to the repressions of the totalitarian regime. An important cultural center of that time was the Kharkiv house ‘Slovo’ — a symbol of creative uplift and at the same time a site of tragic events.
“The coin is dedicated to the generation of Ukrainian artists from the 1920s to 1930s, which was a driving force behind cultural changes, developing literature, theater, cinema, music, and visual arts, but was ruthlessly destroyed by the totalitarian regime. An important cultural center of this time was the ‘Slovo’ house in Kharkiv – a symbol of creative life and at the same time a site of tragic events”.
Design of the Coin and Tribute to Yulian Shpol
Yulian Shpol, whose real name was Mykhailo Yalovyi, was not only a poet but also a prose writer, playwright, and screenwriter. He led VAPLITE — the Free Academy of Proletarian Literature, and wrote the first Ukrainian formalist novel ‘Golden Foxes’ in 1929. Together with Mykola Khvylovy and other creators, he shaped a new Ukrainian culture, free from dogmas and restrictions. In 1933, Yulian Shpol became a victim of Stalin’s repressions, and his name was erased from Ukrainian literature for decades.
The obverse of the coin features a stylized inscription ‘SLOVO’ — the name of the Kharkiv house of writers. In the texture of the letters, winter wheat can be seen — a symbol of the young generation of artists whose lives were destroyed by the totalitarian regime. Blood drips from the bullet-ridden letter ‘O’, emphasizing the tragedy of the era. Below the inscription is the word ‘UKRAINE’, the year of minting, the Small State Emblem of Ukraine, the denomination with a graphic symbol of the hryvnia, and the logo of the Banknote and Minting Factory of the NBU.
On the reverse of the coin, against a mirrored background, there is a stylized portrait of Yulian Shpol, marked by spots of corrosion and oblivion, yet not completely lost. To the right of the portrait, the real name — ‘Mykhailo Yalovyi’ — is embossed, while the pseudonym ‘Yulian Shpol’ is mirrored. To the left, the years of the artist’s life are indicated — 1895/1937.
The coin is made of nickel silver — a special alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc. Its edge is ribbed. Each coin comes in souvenir packaging, making it valuable for collectors and anyone interested in the history of Ukrainian culture.