Aleksa Šantić (1868–1924) was born in Mostar and died there, and his poetry is rooted in the urban culture of that city and of Herzegovina. His best-known poem, Emina, was taken up by ordinary people as a sevdalinka, the Bosnian love song, and is still sung today.

He was also a driving force in Mostar's cultural life. He chaired the Serbian choral society Gusle, and in 1896 co-founded the literary magazine Zora (Dawn) with Jovan Dučić and Atanasije Šola; it appeared without interruption until 1901. He was later elected to the Serbian Royal Academy.

The 10 marks exists in two designs. The Federation version shows writer Mehmedalija Mak Dizdar with a fragment of a medieval stećak tombstone; this Republika Srpska version pairs Šantić with a plain loaf of bread on the back, the most everyday image in the whole convertible mark range. The denomination has circulated since June 1998 and its basic design has never been altered.

Uncirculated (UNC): the note has never been in circulation.