UKRAINIAN MONEY About Kiev Kiev City Photo Gallery Dining Out In Kiev: National Dishes Ukrainian Money More Information

Ukraine is a cash economy. Use of credit cards is limited to the better hotels, Western-style restaurants, international airlines and select stores. Customs regulations prohibit sending cash, traveler's checks, personal checks, credit cards or passports through the international mail system to Ukraine. These items are regularly confiscated as contraband by customs authorities. NOTE: Changing any currency for Ukrainian currency or another currency is legal only at banks, currency exchange desks, at hotels and at licensed exchange booths. Changing money with black-market traders is illegal and can be dangerous. Description of the Ukrainian money 1 hryvnia On the front: portrait of Prince Volodymyr the Great On the back: an image of the ruins of Khersones, the site where he converted to Christianity 2 hryvni On the front: portrait of Prince Yaroslav the Wise On the back: Cathedral of St. Sophia 5 hryven On the front: Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky On the back: A picture of the historic St. Elijah's Church in Subotiv, where he was once buried 10 hryven On the front: portrait of Hetman Ivan Mazepa On the back: Kiev Pechersk Lavra 20 hryven On the front: Poet and national leader Ivan Franko On the back: Lviv Opera Theater 50 hryven On the front: Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Ukrainian historian and president of the Ukrainian National Republic On the back: the Parliament building in Kiev 100 hryven On the front: Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko On the back: St. Sophia Cathedral Also there are kopiyky (kopecks), coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50, on which the national symbol, the trident (tryzub), will appear surrounded by a wreath of wheat stalks and oak leaves. The 1, 2 and 5 are silver in color; the 10, 25 and 50 are gold in color.