Bacuna and Advocaat perform first strike
WILLEMSTAD, PHILIPSBURG – The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) issues two commemorative coins to mark the Curaçao national football team’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup - a silver Cg 5.00 coin and a Cg 0.50 circulation-quality coin. Curaçao national team midfielder Juninho Bacuna and former head coach Dick Advocaat - under whose leadership Curaçao qualified for the 2026 World Cup - performed the ceremonial first strike of the silver Cg 5.00 coin this morning at the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (Royal Dutch Mint) in Houten. The Cg 0.50 commemorative coin is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. Both coins will be available for purchase and will enter circulation later this month.
Dick Advocaat and Juninho Bacuna
The Curaçao national football team made history by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the first time, becoming the smallest country by population ever to achieve this feat. With this exceptional accomplishment, Curaçao has also secured a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The issuance of these commemorative coins serves as a tangible tribute to this milestone. The coins are intended as a lasting symbol of national pride and a reminder of the moment Curaçao took its place on the world stage.
Both coins feature the powerful blue wave, silhouettes of the players as a tribute to their dedication and determination, the stars of the Curaçao flag reflecting the nation’s identity, and of course the football — the heart of this historic achievement.
Prior to the first strike ceremony, CBCS spokesperson Nancy van der Wal stated that the Blue Wave had not only conquered the football field: “The Blue Wave has also touched the hearts of people and even rolled through the gates of the Central Bank. We immediately knew that we could not let this moment pass without creating a lasting memory. That is why the CBCS took the initiative to immortalize this special occasion with two commemorative coins.”
The first strike took place in the presence of Wouter Jansen, Curaçao team manager at Federashon Futbòl Kòrsou (FFK); Kees Jansma, FFK’s press officer; Bert van Ravenswaaij, Director and Mint Master at the Royal Dutch Mint; and Danielle Ranzijn, Senior Project Manager at the Royal Dutch Mint.
The silver Cg 5.00 coin will be available at a retail price of Cg 175.00. The Cg 0.50 circulation coin will be distributed through commercial banks in Curaçao and will also be offered in special collector’s packaging at the CBCS—providing a unique opportunity to own a lasting memento of this historic achievement.