New NBU coin honors the Ukrainian who made “Shchedryk” a global hit
12 September 2025 21:04
The National Bank of Ukraine has unveiled a commemorative coin dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Ukrainian choral conductor Oleksandr Koshytsia. It continues the series “Outstanding Personalities of Ukraine,” "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing the official Telegram channel of the national financial regulator.
Oleksandr Koshits is one of the most famous popularizers of Ukrainian music in the world. In 1919, he created the Ukrainian Republican Chapel, which was to represent Ukraine in the international arena. Under his leadership, the chapel toured more than 17 countries for five years, performing about 600 concerts. The repertoire included arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs, sacred music, and works by composers adapted for the Western stage.
Koshyts’s conducting style was characterized by emotionality and plasticity. He conducted without a baton, using only his eyes, hands, and facial expressions. It was thanks to his work that the world first heard the famous Ukrainian carol, which became the basis for the world-famous Carol of the Bells.
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Design of the commemorative coin
The coin is made of nickel silver, has a face value of 2 hryvnias and a mintage of up to 50 thousand pieces.
Obverse: a stylized map of the tour route of the Ukrainian Republican Chapel with the cities where the concerts took place. The silhouettes of swallows are depicted between the names of the cities as a symbol of the spread of Ukrainian culture around the world.
Reverse: a portrait of Oleksandr Koshytsia, with the emphasis on his hands, the conductor’s main “instrument”. The background is a dynamic wavy surface that diverges from the coat of arms of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, symbolizing the influence of Ukrainian music abroad.
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It is known that the commemorative coin will be sold on September 16, 2025, through the NBU’s online store. Subsequently, distributor banks will also start selling the coin, a list of which is available on the NBU’s website.
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