On 1 June 2009, the Bulgarian National Bank introduced a revised BGN 5 banknote. The new 2009 issue has the same dimensions, coloring, and graphical design as the 1999 note, with some minor changes. Both notes will circulate in parallel. In keeping with a tradition which it started following the introduction of the 100-lev note issued 8 December 2003, the bank has sold the first 100 notes (serial numbers БА 0000001 to БА 0000100) for BGN 6.6 each, a 20% premium over face value.



5 leva (US$3.55), 2009. Like Pick 116, but new date, new signatures, new holographic anti-copy stripe, new windowed security thread, added latent image, БНБ electrotype added to the watermark, and additional bifluorescence.

Courtesy of Krassimir Dimitrov, Andrew Roberts, and Stefan Tzvetkov.

Tags: Bulgaria

On 8 December 2008, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) issued a revised 10-lev (US$6.50) note similar to the existing 1999 note (Pick 117), but with new date, signatures, and security features, including a red-to-green windowed security thread with demetalized text, watermark with electrotype bank initials, latent image, and UV elements.




Courtesy of Krassimir Dimitrov.

Tags: Bulgaria

20 lev (US$14.95), 2007. Issued 12.11.2007. Like P118, but new date, new signature (governor), windowed security thread, fluorescent image, and modified watermark.

Images courtesy of Kevin Klauss.

Tags: Bulgaria

According to an 18 October 2007 Reuters report, “Bulgaria won the right to spell the euro common currency as ‘evro’ in its Cyrillic language…The EU newcomer has fought hard for the right to spell the euro according to Cyrillic rules despite the European Central Bank’s insistence that the euro be spelled the same way across the 27-nation bloc. The Black Sea country argued that ‘evro’ is the correct transliteration of ‘euro’ into Cyrillic…The question of whether Bulgaria will be able to use ‘evro’ on banknotes if it enters the single currency zone—something that is not expected until well after 2010—remains open.”

Tags: Bulgaria

50 leva, 2006. Issued 03.07.2006. Like Pick 119, but series B, new signatures: Ivan Iskrov, Governor; Stefan Tzvetkov, Chief Cashier. New security features include latent image of “50” to the left of Pencho Slaveykov’s collar, golden to green OVI on National Library building under Slaveykov’s signature. Printer: BNB Printing Works, Bulgaria. 136 x 76 mm.

Anyone interested in buying this note can contact the contributor by clicking the link below. Be sure to say you saw it mentioned here on Banknotenews.com.

Images courtesy of Chris Twining.

Tags: Bulgaria

2 leva (US$1.35), 2005. Like Pick 115, but new date, new signatures, and series B. 116 x 64 mm.

For more information, visit the Bulgarian National Bank.

Images courtesy of Menelaos Stamatelos, Southeastern Numismatics.

Tags: Bulgaria