Bulgaria 1981 50 leva KM-138

Stack's Bowers February 2023 Collector's Choice sale, lot 72566

This specimen was lot 72566 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $240. The catalog description^[1] noted, "BULGARIA. 50 Leva, 1981. Sofia Mint. NGC PROOF-68 Ultra Cameo. Estimated mintage of 10,000. Extremely high grade example with a frosty obverse and deeply mirrored fields and frosty devices on the reverse." Four different fifty leva were issued for the 1300th anniversary of the establishment of Bulgaria (KM 135, 136, 137, 138). We presume they were sold or given as a set, along with a silver 25 leva (KM 134).

Recorded mintage: est. 10,000.

Specification: 20.5 g, 0.900 fine silver.

Catalog reference: KM-138.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.

Link to:

• 1980 stotinka
• 1980 2 stotinki
• 1980 5 stotinki
• 1980 10 stotinki
• 1980 20 stotinki
• 1980 50 stotinki
• 1980 lev
• 1981 25 leva, 1300 years of Bulgaria, mother and child
• 1981 50 leva, 1300 years of Bulgaria, mounted rider
• 1982 20 leva, Year of the Child
• Coins and currency dated 1981