On 22 August 2025, NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy presented a commemorative coin entitled "130 Years since the Birth of Vasyl Vyshyvanyi."
This coin, which continues the Outstanding Personalities of Ukraine series, celebrates Wilhelm Franz von Habsburg-Lothringen (1895–1948), a member of the European aristocracy who entered Ukrainian history under the pseudonym Vasyl Vyshyvanyi. An Austrian archduke, a colonel in the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen legion, a poet, a diplomat, and a statesman – he was a vibrant and extraordinary participant in the Ukrainian liberation struggle of the early 20th century. Holding a prominent position both in the military and in international diplomatic circles, Vasyl Vyshyvanyi, through all his activities, affirmed the ideals of an independent, unified Ukraine. Thanks to his active involvement, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the first countries to officially recognize the Ukrainian People’s Republic.
"Vasyl Vyshyvanyi, an archduke from the Austrian Habsburg family by birth, chose a different path for himself – he became a patriot of Ukraine," said Pyshnyy. "His story resonates 100% with today’s thoughts of millions of our fellow citizens about the choice to be Ukrainian, to be with Ukraine. We are once again proving together that being Ukrainian is not just a destiny determined by one’s birthplace, but a conscious daily choice. That is why immortalizing Vyshyvanyi in a numismatic work right now, on the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day, is more fitting than ever. This coin is a reminder for us today that independence is not given easily, and does not preserve itself. It must be defended and affirmed, just as generations before us have done, and protected every day – in our thoughts, in our deeds, and in our hearts."
Participating in the presentation were the Ambassador of Austria to Ukraine Robert Müller; veteran, Ukraine’s Armed Forces reservist major, Ukrainian historian, and Head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory Oleksandr Alforov; the founder of the Khartia volunteer battalion and one of the initiators of the opera "Vyshyvanyi: King of Ukraine" Vsevolod Kozhemiako; a serviceman of the Khartia brigade, Ukrainian writer, and author of the opera’s libretto, Serhii Zhadan; and a representative of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Andrii Osipov, who supported the creation of the 2019 documentary "Wilhelm von Habsburg: King of Ukraine."
Coin Design
The coin has a face value of 2 hryvnias and is made of nickel silver. It has a mintage of up to 50,000 units and is souvenir packaged. The coin’s edge is grooved.
Obverse: there is a stylized composition that includes an element of the cockade of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen legion: a heraldic Galician lion resting on a stone block with the legend У.С.С 1914 (Ukrainian Sich Riflemen), with 1914 being the year the legion was founded). Against a smooth background are the legend УКРАЇНА (Ukraine) and a facsimile of Vyshyvanyi’s signature (above); there are also the coin’s issue year 2025, Ukraine’s small coat of arms, the coin’s face value 2, the graphic symbol of the hryvnia ₴, a stylized quill pen symbolizing Vyshyvanyi’s poetic and diplomatic activities, the mint mark of the NBU’s Banknote Printing and Minting Works and the legend ВІЛЬГЕЛЬМ ФОН ГАБСБУРҐ (Wilhelm von Habsburg) (beneath).
Reverse: against a smooth background is a stylized portrait of Vasyl Vyshyvanyi, wearing a vyshyvanka (traditional embroidered Ukrainian shirt) and a kozhukh (sheepskin coat) – clothing items that became part of his personal identity. To the left is a decorative ornament with clover leaves, which was a talisman for military luck for Ukrainian Sich Riflemen soldiers, and which adorned the cover of Vyshyvanyi’s poetry collection, "Passing Days...", dedicated to the fighters for Ukraine’s freedom. Above the composition is the semicircular legend ВАСИЛЬ ВИШИВАНИЙ (Vasyl Vyshyvanyi), and to the right are the years of his birth and death, 1895–1948.
Designer – Sviatoslav Ivanenko. Engravers – Anatolii Demianenko and Volodymyr Atamanchuk.
Coin Sales
This coin will be sold through the NBU’s online numismatic store from 25 August 2025, as well as through distributing banks (the list of these banks can be found on the NBU’s official website).
You can find more details about the starting date of sales on the official website of the NBU’s online numismatic store and on the official websites of the distributing banks.