February 7, 2022 - After four days of controversy over an alleged case of plagiarism, Stjepan Pranjković finally decided to withdraw his Croatian euro coin design proposal.

On February 4, Total Croatia News shared the official announcement by the Government and the Croatian National Bank (CNB) regarding the four winners of the Croatian euro coin design proposal competition. In a government session that day, it was confirmed that the 2 euro coin would feature the geographical map of Croatia; the 1 euro coin would feature the kuna, the symbolic animal of Croatia; the 50, 20, and 10 cent coins would feature Nikola Tesla; and that the 5, 2 and 1 cent coins would feature the Glagolitic alphabet.

Stjepan Pranjković with Boris Vujčić, Croatian National Bank Governor. (Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL)

The four winners were present at a symbolic event after the session, where each one offered more details about the creative process behind their Croatian euro coin design proposal and also received a special gift from the Croatian National Bank. It is also known that each of the winners would receive a prize of 70,000 kunas.

Public reaction was mixed. While some applauded the designs, some others criticized them. Many, for example, considered that choosing the map of Croatia was a very simple and easy idea, and others also called Nikola Tesla's coin part of political propaganda about the debate on its origins.

However, the biggest controversy would come the next day when suspicions began to spread on social networks about an alleged case of plagiarism. Some people found the design of the one-euro coin quite familiar, specifically because of the kuna animal layout. Thus, several users began to find little coincidence in the resemblance between the design of the coin and the image of the British wildlife photographer Iain H Leach of a pine marten, the name by which the animal is known in English.

Shortly after, they managed to make contact with Leach, who in turn expressed his ignorance of what happened and, in addition, criticized that his permission was not requested to use an image that in the end would win a prize of at least 9,300 euros. Some users even shared a screenshot in a public Facebook group called Bring Your Own Laptop Online, where Pranjković would have asked for help to transform the photo into editing software, by adding special lighting effects to give it a metallic look.

Finally, after several days of intense criticism, Telegram.hr reports that Pranjković sent a letter to the Croatian National Bank in order to withdraw his proposal and also apologize for the unpleasant atmosphere created by the controversy.

"It was a great honor for me to participate in the process of selecting the national side of the Croatian euro coin. However, motivated by the unpleasant atmosphere created in the media and social networks, as well as the pressures I was exposed to regarding my design of the reverse of the one euro coin with a kuna motif, I decided to withdraw my design proposal for this motif and waive any rights to on the basis of participation in the competition for the motif of a one-euro coin", said Pranjković.

"I made this decision so as not to aggravate this situation or contribute to further possible uncertainties. I am sorry that there have been controversies regarding my work that could harm this important process for the Republic of Croatia. I did not intend to hurt anyone's feelings, so I apologize to everyone, especially to the Croatian National Bank, the Government and the Croatian public ", concluded Pranjković.

The CNB's Money Commission announces that it will hold an emergency session today and will comment on Pranjković's letter. By the way, after the media suspected that Pranjković used someone else's photo for his design, the CNB's Commission reported yesterday that they had launched an urgent inspection of his design.

Speculation regarding the possible alternatives has been present on social networks, with some proposing that the original photographer be credited, that another design be used that also has the kuna as a motif, and others also propose that an entirely different motif be used. However, the outcome of the Croatian euro coin design proposal is uncertain pending the CNB investigation.

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February 6, 2022 - The Croatian National Bank is consulting with legal experts about the potentially stolen Croatian euro coin kuna design by Stjepan Pranjković, which is oddly similar to a photograph of a kuna animal found on the Internet by British photographer Iain H Leach.

The CNB will publish its comment on Monday, writes Večernji List.

The author of the photograph, Iain H. Leach, was not asked for permission to use his photograph.

"Yes, it looks like someone took my photo without my permission and used it to design a new Croatian coin. They told me it was a competition and that design won. I also heard that the winner received a cash prize. I didn't get anything. He's a thief. He took my photo and picked up the prize. I think that those who organized it should withdraw the cash prize and name the real author of the photo on which the Croatian coin was made," Leach told 24 Sata.

"I am amazed at the interest from Croatia. A lot of good people from Croatia contacted me about this, and I didn't hear anything about it until two days ago," stated Leach for N1. 

“I don’t mind the photo being used as a motif for the coin and I would be glad to see it there. However, I would like to be officially recognized as a photographer and receive a usage fee. Also, I don't think that the person who stole my photo should be rewarded with almost 10,000 euros for something that was copied," concluded the photographer for N1. 

The Government told N1 that the competition to select the winning designs was led by the CNB from the beginning to the end.

"The competition for selecting the design was led from the beginning to the end by the CNB, through the Selection Committee (with external members) and the CNB's Permanent Money Commission, which otherwise decides on the design of commemorative coins. All contestants had to submit a statement guaranteeing that they are the owners of the copyright of the artistic solution that they applied for," the Government said for N1.

Recall, earlier this week, the Croatian Government presented the winning designs for the new Croatian euro coins. Various motifs were chosen - the coat of arms (šahovnica), a map of Croatia, a kuna (marten), Nikola Tesla, and the Glagolitic alphabet.

The kuna design, however, is familiar to a photograph of a kuna by a British photographer Iain H Leach. Many comments on social media pointed out the similarities between the kuna on the coin and the outline of the kuna in the photograph, primarily noticing the similar pose, the branch, but also smaller details, such as the position of the tail or the white color found on the animal's neck.

Leach also joined the discussion on Twitter.

"I hope the author of the Croatian euro coin design contacted you and paid you for the rights to the photo because the coin looks the same as your photo," one person wrote on Twitter, and he responded quickly. "Thanks for letting me know. Not sure what I can do, maybe they'll send me a free coin," Leach said. Twitter users soon began advising him to file a lawsuit.

This photo can be found in the photographer's kuna gallery on his website and around the Internet. This photograph is also provided by Google if "pine marten side view" is entered in the search engine. Pine marten is the English name for the kuna. 

The author of the Croatian euro coin design received HRK 70,000

The kuna motif will be on the 1 euro coin, and next to it will be the word "Croatia," and the year they introduced the euro - 2023. The author of the best design for this coin is Stjepan Pranjković, Master of Applied Arts.

Pranjković received HRK 70,000 for his winning design. His other two solutions won second place, receiving HRK 35,000. In total, he received HRK 140,000.

There are also posts on the Internet in which Pranjković asked for help in a group on Facebook on how to process a photo for a coin.

By the way, 295 design proposals were accepted for the kuna coin. The Croatian Commission for the Selection of Artistic Design Proposals selected the nine most successful proposals and submitted them to the CNB. Finally, in the second round of the tender, the CNB's Money Commission selected the three most successful design proposals.

The CNB published a document in which they explained the awarded works. Among them, they explained the motif of the kuna that will adorn the 1 euro coin, which is identical to the British photographer's image.

"The author of the award-winning work decided on a realistic depiction of the kuna animal. He very successfully graphically highlighted the figure of the kuna using a different surface texture, which contributed to the realistic depiction.

The author skillfully used the relationship between the given elements, so he uses straight and sharp chessboard lines as a frame of motifs and contrasts them with wavy lines in depicting the marten animal and the branch on which it stands. The position of the obligatory elements, which are placed along the edge of the inner part of the coin, additionally frames the motif and emphasizes its position," explains the CNB.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 6, 2022 - Is the kuna image on the new Croatian euro coin design stolen from a British photographer? A closer look. 

Earlier this week, the Croatian Government presented the winning designs for the new Croatian euro coins. Various motifs were chosen - the coat of arms (šahovnica), a map of Croatia, a kuna (marten), Nikola Tesla, and the Glagolitic alphabet.

The kuna design, however, has caused a bit of controversy. Namely, the kuna on the euro coin looks oddly familiar to a photograph of a kuna published on the Internet. It didn't take long to cause a social media storm, reports Index.hr.

Many comments mostly point out the similarities between the kuna on the coin and the outline of the kuna in the photograph, primarily noticing the similar pose, the branch, but also smaller details, such as the position of the tail or the white color found on the animal's neck.

"Are you contacting me about stealing my photo?"

Index.hr contacted the author of the photograph, Iain H Leach, who has only briefly answered with a counter-question.

"Are you contacting me about the new coin stealing my photo?" said Leach. Judging by his statement, he did not seem to be aware that anyone was using his photograph for these purposes, and no one asked him for permission.

Leach also joined the discussion on Twitter.

"I hope the author of the Croatian euro coin design contacted you and paid you for the rights to the photo because the coin looks the same as your photo," one person wrote on Twitter, and he responded quickly. "Thanks for letting me know. Not sure what I can do, maybe they'll send me a free coin," Leach said. Twitter users soon began advising him to file a lawsuit.

This photo can be found in the photographer's kuna gallery on his website and around the Internet. This photograph is also provided by Google if "pine marten side view" is entered in the search engine. Pine marten is the English name for the kuna. 

The author of the design received HRK 70,000

Recall, the motif of the kuna will be on the 1 euro coin, and next to it will be the word "Croatia," and the year they introduced the euro - 2023. The author of the best design for this coin is Stjepan Pranjković, Master of Applied Arts.

Pranjković received HRK 70,000 for his winning design. His other two solutions won second place, receiving HRK 35,000. In total, he received HRK 140,000. Index.hr has sent a message to Pranjković through social media, but he has yet to answer. Should he reply, Index will publish the response. 

There are also posts on the Internet in which Pranjković asked for help in a group on Facebook on how to process a photo for a coin.

Index.hr also contacted the Government to comment on this potentially embarrassing situation, but they have not yet responded.

By the way, 295 design proposals were accepted for the kuna coin. The Croatian Commission for the Selection of Artistic Design Proposals selected the nine most successful proposals and submitted them to the CNB. Finally, in the second round of the tender, the CNB's Money Commission selected the three most successful design proposals.

How the design is explained on the CNB's website

The CNB published a document in which they explained the awarded works. Among them, they explained the motif of the kuna that will adorn the 1 euro coin, which is identical to the British photographer's image.

"The author of the award-winning work decided on a realistic depiction of the kuna animal. He very successfully graphically highlighted the figure of the kuna using a different surface texture, which contributed to the realistic depiction.

The author skillfully used the relationship between the given elements, so he uses straight and sharp chessboard lines as a frame of motifs and contrasts them with wavy lines in depicting the marten animal and the branch on which it stands. The position of the obligatory elements, which are placed along the edge of the inner part of the coin, additionally frames the motif and emphasizes its position," explains the CNB.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.