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Thracian and Macedonian coins issued around 500 BC were the first coins to circulate in Bulgaria. Coins issued by Greek settlers and local Thracian kings soon circulated within Bulgaria. By the mid-first century BC, Roman coins began circulating in Bulgaria. The First Bulgarian Empire, established in the late seventh century, did not issue its own coins. Instead, Byzantine coins circulated in Bulgaria, especially after Basill II conquered present-day Bulgaria in 1019. The tsars of the Second Bulgarian Empire did issue their own coins under the reigns of Boril (1207-18) to Ivan Shshman (1371-93). In 1393 the Ottoman Turks annexed Bulgaria and it remained a part of the Ottoman Empire until the late nineteenth century.

Bulgaria became a Prinicpality within the Ottoman Empire on July 8, 1879. Eastern Rumelia rebelled against the Ottoman Empire in 1885, when it was annexed and renamed Southern Bulgaria. Bulgaria gained its independence as a Tsardom on July 8, 1908. In April 1941, Bulgaria occupied, but did not annex, Macedonia and Thrace. They remained occupied by Bulgaria until they were occupied by German troops in 1944.

As part of the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria used Ottoman Empire Piastres (XOTP), but it introduced its own monetary unit, the Lev, (BGO), equal to 100 Stotinki, on May 27, 1880. The Lev was linked to the Franc Germinal at par. Bulgaria issued both Gold Lev (BGZ-Lev Zlato), Silver Lev (BGS-Lev Srebro), paper Lev and the Alexander, a gold coin equal to 20 Lev. Banknotes were issued by the Bulgarian National Bank from 1885 until today.

After Nazi occupation in 1940, the German government began circulating Reichkassenkreditschein (XDEK) along with Lev notes printed in Germany. The Soviets began occupying Bulgaria in September 1944 and issued their own banknotes. Because of the inflation that followed, Bulgaria issued a Socialist Lev (BGM) on May 12, 1952 equal to 100 old Lev. The Hard Lev (BGL) replaced the Socialist Lev on January 1, 1962 at the same time the Soviet Union reformed its currency. Bulgaria also issued special Lev Foreign Exchange Certificates for tourists. Bulgaria suffered further inflation after the fall of communism, and stabilized the currency by establishing a currency board like system on July 1, 1997 at the rate of 1 DEM = 1000 BGL. A New Lev (BGN), linked at par to the German Mark, was introduced on January 1, 1999.

Here is a 1943 dated note valued at 20 Leva. The note is blue-black on light red underprint. The obverse depicts the denomination in the four corners amist an ornate design. The reverse is brown and shows the national coat of arms to the left, with the notes value in each of the four corners.

• Krause# Pick-63a

This is a 3 Leva note dated 1951. The note is deep olive green on green and orange underprint. The obverse features the national Coat-of-Arms and denomination, and the reverse depicts upright hands holding a hammer and sickle.

• Krause# Pick-81a

Here is a 5 Leva note dated 1951. The note is blue and green. The obverse features the National Coat of Arms in the center surounded by a stylized design.The reverse depicts a pair of upright hands holding a hammer and sickle. This note carries a watermark of BNB with hammer and sickle.

• Krause# Pick-82a

This 1951 dated note is valued at 50 Leva. The note is brown on multicolored underprint. The obverse features a peasant farmer woman with baskets of roses surounded by a colorful stylized design. The reverse depicts Georgi Dimitrov (a Bulgarian Communist leader who lived from June 18, 1882 to July 2, 1949) to the left, and the coat of arms to the right.This note has a watermark of BNB with hammer and sickle.

• Krause# Pick-85a

This 200 Leva note is dated 1951. The note is gray-blue and black on multicolored underprint. The obverse features farmers during the tobacco harvest. The reverse depicts Georgi Mikhaylovich Dimitrov, who in 1946 succeeded Kimon Georgiev as Premier of Bulgaria. The watermark for this note is that of a hammer and sickle.

• Krause# Pick-87a

Here is a 1 Lev note dated 1974. The note is brown-lilac on multicolored underprint. The obverse depicts the national Coat-of-Arms to the left. The reverse shows the monument for the Battle of Shipka Pass (an important location in the Russian-Turkey war). The watermark for this note is an ornate design.

• Krause# Pick-93a

Here is a 1974 dated 5 Leva note. The note is red on blue and multicolored underprint. The obverse features a modified coat of arms surounded by an ornate design. The reverse depicts a coastline village. The note has a watermark of a decorative design.

• Krause# Pick-95a

This note is a 20 Leva note dated 1991. The note is blue-black and blue-green on multicolored underprint. The obverse features the Dutchess Sevastokrat Oritza Desislava. The reverse depicts the Boyana church (A medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in the Boyana quarter)

• Krause# Pick-100

Here is a 100 Leva note dated 1993. The note is dark brown and maroon on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Zahari Zograf (Who is arguably the most famous Bulgarian painter of the Bulgarian National Revival, noted for his church mural paintings and icons and often regarded as the founder of secular art in Bulgaria due to the introduction of everyday life elements in his work). The reverse depicts the Wheel of Life - a painting by Zahari located on the outside wall (mural) of the Monastery of Transfiguration (or Preobrazhenski Monastery).

• Krause# Pick-102b

This is a 2005 dated 2 Leva note.

The obverse features Paisii Hilendarski, who is considered to be the father of Bulgarian renaissance, the first ideologist of the national liberation movement. The discerning monk was the first person in Bulgaria to feel the tendencies for development of the society and undertake the role to awake the national conscience by writing "History of the Slavs and Bulgarians". The obverse also carries a holographic strip onthe left edge of thenote. The reverse depicts a heraldic lion.

• Krause# Pick-Not Yet Listed

Note donated by R.R

Foreign Exchange Certificates

Bulgaria 1 Lev dated 1986

• Krause# Pick-FX36a

Note donated by De Orc

Bulgaria 2 Leva dated 1986

• Krause# Pick-FX37a

Note donated by De Orc

Bulgaria 5 Leva dated 1986

• Krause# Pick-FX38a

Note donated by De Orc

Bulgaria 10 Leva dated 1986

• Krause# Pick-FX39a

Note donated by De Orc

Bulgaria 20 Leva dated 1986

• Krause# Pick-FX40a

Note donated by De Orc