There are 1.5 billion coins with face value of 50 kopiykas in circulation — Pyshnyy
Today, there are 1.5 billion 50-kopiyka coins in circulation in Ukraine. To maintain appropriate quality, it is necessary to mint about 30 million coins each year, with some planned for replacement in stages.
This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Andriy Pyshnyy, Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.
According to him, there are currently more than 14 billion coins of various denominations in circulation in Ukraine, of which 1.5 billion are 50 kopiykas. And every year, to maintain the appropriate quality and quantity of coins in circulation, the National Bank mints 20 to 30 million coins.
“ At the same time, we see and hear from the retail sector that there remains a need for a denomination of 50—unfortunately, still kopiykas for now. I very much hope that in the near future this will be 50 shahs. This denomination will remain in circulation for several more years. To maintain the required quality and quantity of coins in circulation, the National Bank needs to mint between 20 and 30 million coins annually,” he stated.
He emphasized that there are no plans to withdraw 50-kopiyka coins from circulation. They will remain in circulation in parallel and will have the same technical characteristics, diameter, and weight. Over time, according to the Governor of the NBU, 50-kopiyka coins will acquire a symbolic collector's value.
“However, for some time, they will continue to serve their primary function in cash circulation. After a certain period, it is entirely possible that they will be withdrawn due to wear and tear, which will again require an operational disposal model,” Pyshnyy noted.
He added that he expects parliament to decide on renaming the kopiyka to the shah in the near future.
"We all saw how this initiative united parliament even during the initial discussion. Yes, there were heated debates, which were deeply ideological and historical. But it seemed to me that at some point, parliament was very, very united in its desire to break the ties that Moscow had imposed on us. So there is great hope that the final review will be successful, and Ukrainians will be holding shahs in their hands as early as this year," the Governor of the NBU wrote on Facebook.
As reported, on December 18, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada supported, in the first reading, a bill to rename Ukraine's small-denomination coin the shah.
Photo: NBU