New €2 coin featuring Vukovar Water Tower to be issued

The Croatian National Bank said that the Vukovar coin is being issued in a record quantity of half a million pieces.

The coin is part of Croatia’s programme of commemorative euro issues highlighting important Croatian cities and landmarks. Vukovar, located on the Danube in eastern Croatia, is one of the country’s best-known historic cities and a major symbol of Croatian national identity.

The Vukovar Water Tower is particularly recognisable internationally. Damaged extensively during the 1991 war, the tower was preserved as a memorial and has since become one of the city’s most prominent landmarks.

The new coin places Vukovar within Croatia’s wider series of commemorative issues celebrating cities and their heritage.

The 2026 Croatian euro programme includes a Vukovar-themed issue, with the water tower and the city represented through the coin design and accompanying presentation material. The issue is expected to attract interest from both collectors and members of the public because commemorative €2 coins can circulate alongside ordinary euro coins.

The Council also decided to issue gold numismatic coins and silver numismatic coins “Innovations of Ivan Vučetić” as part of the series of numismatic coins “Croatian innovators” with commemorative motifs presenting the character and work of Ivan Vučetić, a criminalist and inventor of dactyloscopy. A decision was also made to issue gold and silver numismatic coins “Croatian Shepherd” as part of the series of numismatic coins “Autochthonous Croatia”.

Croatia began using the euro as its currency in January 2023. Since then, its commemorative coins have provided a way of presenting Croatian historical, cultural and national symbols to people across the euro area.

The Vukovar issue follows earlier Croatian commemorative themes dedicated to cities and major national anniversaries.

Vukovar Water Tower

Vukovar’s location on the Danube has also played an important role in its history. The city developed as a regional centre for trade and transport, while its cultural heritage includes the Vučedol archaeological site and the Eltz Castle complex.

The water tower, however, remains one of the strongest visual symbols associated with the city.

The decision to feature Vukovar on a euro coin gives that landmark an additional international audience, as commemorative €2 coins circulate across countries using the common currency and are widely collected.

The issue is therefore expected to appeal not only to Croatian collectors but also to European numismatists interested in Croatia’s relatively young euro coinage.