150th anniversary of Ivan Cankar's birth (2026)

Ivan Cankar (1876–1918) was a Slovenian writer, playwright, poet, essayist and politician, regarded as one of the four central representatives of Slovenian modernism, along with Josip Murn, Dragotin Kette and Oton Župančič. He was born in Vrhnika and studied engineering and Slavic studies in Vienna.

His poetry collection Erotika [Eroticism] marked the beginning of Slovenian modernism. He also wrote novels (Na klancu [On the Hill], Martin Kačur), tales (Hlapec Jernej in njegova pravica [The Servant Jernej and His Justice]), short stories and sketches (Moje življenje [My Life], Podobe iz sanj [Images from Dreams]), and plays (Za narodov blagor [For the Good of the Nation], Hlapci [Lackeys], Pohujšanje v dolini Šentflorjanski [Depravity in St Florian Valley]). He also earned his living through journalism, literary criticism and essays. His works drew attention to the political conditions of his time, but the dominant theme was the individual in conflict with the everyday life of workers and villagers, as well as the petty bourgeoisie. Numerous socially critical ideas are also present. He is considered the greatest Slovenian writer and playwright.

He died in Ljubljana, where he is buried at Žale Cemetery, in the "Tomb of Modernism".

At the 150^th anniversary of Ivan Cankar’s birth, the Republic of Slovenia is issuing a commemorative coin with his portrait. The inspiration for it is Slavko Tihec’s sculpture in front of Cankarjev Dom. On the coin, the vertical cuts characteristic of the sculpture are translated into concentric ring-like structures with alternating recessed and raised parts of the coin, creating a silhouette of Ivan Cankar.

Event proposed by: Anton Mlinar, Marjan Godnjov, Matej Pok, Ministry of Culture, Tomaž Podboj

Artwork designed by: Adam Breznik, Luče

Minting: Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda S.A., Portugal