500 Dinara

Croatia's declaration of independence in June 1991 created an immediate practical problem: the new state needed currency before it had a functioning central bank infrastructure. This note was part of the first Croatian issue, printed at Tumba Bruk in Sweden — a logical choice given the facility's long relationship with Nordic and Eastern European monetary authorities and its capacity for rapid, confidential production runs.

Unusually for a first national issue, both design and engraving were handled by a single Croatian artist, Zlatko Jakuš, which gave the series an unusually coherent hand. Security provision is limited to a watermark — thin coverage for a note of this denomination, reflecting the speed at which the series had to be brought to market.