Introduction
This beautiful set of seven multi-colored Uncirculated
banknotes from
communist Bulgaria is dated 1951. The 3 and 5 Leva notes
feature an upraised hammer and sickle. A farmer and tractor
is on the 10 Leva. A railroad construction crew is on the 25
Leva. A peasant woman with a basket of roses is on the 50
Leva, A woman picking grapes is on the 100 Leva and farmers picking
tobacco are on the 200 Leva. The backs of the
higher denomination notes picture Georgi Dimitrov, the first communist
leader of Bulgaria. The value of the note corresponds with its size,
thus the 3 Leva is 120mm x 60mm while the 200 Leva is an impressive
175mm x 90mm. All seven attractive notes feature watermarks.
First lev
In 1885, the Bulgarian National Bank
introduced notes for 20 and 50 gold leva, followed in 1887 by 100 gold
leva and, in 1890, by 5 and 10 gold leva notes. In 1899, 5, 10 and 50
silver leva notes were issued, followed by 100 and 500 silver leva in
1906 and 1907, respectively. 500 gold leva notes were also introduced in
1907. In 1916, 1 and 2 silver leva and 1000 gold leva notes were
introduced, followed by 2500 and 10,000 gold leva notes in 1919. In
1924, 5000 leva notes were issued, the first to lack a metal
designation. In 1928, a new series of notes (dated 1922 and 1925) was
introduced which gave the denominations solely in leva. Denominations
introduced were 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 leva. These were
followed in 1929 by 200 and 250 leva. In 1930, coins up to 100 leva replaced notes, although 20-lev notes
were issued between 1943 and 1950. Between 1943 and 1945, State Treasury
Bills for 1000 and 5000 leva were issued.
Second lev
In 1952, state notes (dated 1951)
were issued in 1, 3 and 5 leva, together with notes of the National
Bank for 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 leva. 500-lev notes were printed but
not issued.
Third lev
In 1962, the National Bank issued notes for 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 leva. A
second series, in the same denominations, was issued in 1974. 50 leva
notes were introduced in 1990. After the fall of the communist regime,
new notes were introduced for 20, 50, 100 and 200 leva. These were
followed by 500 leva notes in 1993, 1000 and 2000 leva in 1994, 5000 and
10,000 leva in 1996, and 50,000 leva in 1997.
Fourth lev
In 1999, banknotes were introduced in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10,
20 and 50 leva. 100 leva notes were added in 2003. The 1 lev note has
been replaced in everyday use by the 1 lev coin.
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