Yugoslavia~The Twilight Years

[Zantetsuken]

The following two coins are from the SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA. The first is a 1,000 Dinara silver commemorative for the 'Death of Josip Broz Tito (known as Marshall Tito) in 1980. Tito, who was the communist ruler of Yugoslavia since 1945, created many policies that decentralized the government and gave each of the six (initially five) republics equal status. While not perfect, it kept the peace in the region. However, following Tito's death, there was no successor to carry on his work. This lead to Yugoslavia's slow downward spiral to disintegration. By the late 1980's, Serbian ultra-nationalist Slobodan Milosevic, began to undo everything that Tito had achieved. In 1989, he used the 600th anniversary of the 'Battle of Kosovo' to stir up Serbian nationalism, and caused Serbia to take a more dominant stance. Milosevic undermined the Yugoslav parliament and military, by trying to place it under Serbian domination. This caused serious tensions with the neighboring republics which came to a head with the secession of Slovenia and Croatia in 1991 and Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia in 1992. This sparked a civil war which left portions of Croatia and most of Bosnia in ruins. In the end, Serbia and Montenegro was all that remained of Yugoslavia. The second coin is 5 Dinara dated 1992. It bears the coat-of-arms for the six republic federation, but was issued for what was already a defunct nation.

[img width= height= alt=]http://coinsarefun.com/forum/MGalleryItem.php?id=421[/img]

YUGOSLAVIA (SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC)~1,000 Dinara 1980

[img width= height= alt=]http://coinsarefun.com/forum/MGalleryItem.php?id=420[/img]

YUGOSLAVIA (SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC)~5 Dinara 1992

[BCNumismatics]

Daniel,
  Those are cool ones that you have picked up.

Aidan.

[Zantetsuken]

Daniel,
  Those are cool ones that you have picked up.

Aidan.

Thanks Aidan. Tito's memorial coin is very interesting in that no one knew at the time how much of an impact his death would have on the region. The 1992 issues are very difficult to find now because there were only a limited number minted. Also, the 1992 issues came in only two denominations, 2 and 5 Dinara coins, the 2 Dinara being the rarer of the two.

~Daniel.

[Zantetsuken]

This next section deals with coins from the FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA. Following the secession of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro formed a new union called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. Slobodan Milosevic, used this name as a guise for his real goal of creating a greater Serbian state. The first is a 5 Dinara coin dated 1992. It has a very simple design with a monogram on the obverse side with the national name in Roman and Cyrillic legend. The reverse show the date and denomination. The second is 20 Novih Dinara proof dated 1996 commemorating the 140th birthday of Nikola Tesla. The obverse shows the new arms of Yugoslavia, national name in Cyrillic, date and denomination. The reverse shows Tesla's portrait,Tesla's name in Cyrillic, location and date for birth and death. The third is a 5 Dinara coin dated 2002. The obverse shows the state arms with the national name in Roman and Cyrillic. The reverse shows the Yugoslav Parliament Building with date and denomination. 2002 coins were the last to carry the name Yugoslavia, and also the last time Serbia and Montenegro used a common currency.



YUGOSLAVIA (FEDERAL REPUBLIC)~5 Dinara 1992



YUGOSLAVIA (FEDERAL REPUBLIC)~20 Novih Dinara 1996



YUGOSLAVIA (FEDERAL REPUBLIC)~5 Dinara 2002

[BCNumismatics]

Daniel,
  The first coins of Serbia's current coins date from 2003,as Montenegro decided to follow in Kosovo's footsteps by changing over to the Euro.

The last coinage of Yugoslavia is now in the process of being withdrawn,along with the final issue of the Yugoslavian banknotes.

Aidan.

[Zantetsuken]

Daniel,
  The first coins of Serbia's current coins date from 2003,as Montenegro decided to follow in Kosovo's footsteps by changing over to the Euro.

The last coinage of Yugoslavia is now in the process of being withdrawn,along with the final issue of the Yugoslavian banknotes.

Aidan.

True. Actually, in 2003, the name was changed from 'Yugoslavia' to the 'State Union of Serbia and Montenegro'. Since Serbia and Montenegro had separate economies, currencies, and militaries, it seemed pointless to continue the union (IMO). It officially came to an end in 2006, when Montenegro held a referendum favoring independence. Technically, it was a union that really died in 1992, since it's status was mostly if not entirely ceremonial, and it had lost the respect of most of the world community. A tragic end to a once great nation.

~Daniel.