You Can Count on Me (1986) Let's Talk Money - How every Ukrainian carries British design EUROVISION COUNTRY: United Kingdom KYIV DESTINATION: Your pocket! The national currency is the Hrivna. This was the currency of the Golden Age of Kyiv in the 9th and 10th centuries. A hrivna was a metal weight that looked like a medallion, and it was not uncommon for people to have one hanging from their necklaces. The one below is from the 10th century. In advertising and menus the word hrivna is shortened to grn - or грн in Ukrainian. It may come as a surprise but as you walk around Kyiv you are all carrying examples of British design in your pockets. That's because the notes were designed in the UK by the company De La Rue. This company also developed the Ukrainian Mint, so now all bank notes are printed inside the country. The notes are made out of flax. In the conflict zones of the east (Dometsk and Luhansk) the hrivna is still used as currency, but in occupied Crimea