The IDS issued these copper koza tokens in 1993 as a pointed political gesture during a period of intense lobbying for Istrian autonomy within the newly independent Croatia. The koza — the goat — is a longstanding regional symbol of Istrian identity, and circulating a locally produced quasi-currency was a deliberate act of regionalist assertion rather than any practical monetary scheme.
No official minting authority was involved. These were privately commissioned pieces, and surviving quantities are poorly documented.
The IDS issued these copper koza tokens in 1993 as a pointed political gesture during a period of intense lobbying for Istrian autonomy within the newly independent Croatia. The koza — the goat — is a longstanding regional symbol of Istrian identity, and circulating a locally produced quasi-currency was a deliberate act of regionalist assertion rather than any practical monetary scheme.
No official minting authority was involved. These were privately commissioned pieces, and surviving quantities are poorly documented.