Saturday, October 6, 2012

BEAUTIFUL OLD BANKNOTES OF COMMUNIST BULGARIA

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.