Bulgaria 1999 20 leva
This specimen was lot 70419 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2021), where it sold for $228. The catalog description[1] noted, "BULGARIA. 20 Leva, 1999. Sofia Mint. NGC PROOF-69 Ultra Cameo. Featuring the Madonna and Child, this nearly-flawless proof issue exhibits a great cameo nature and exceptionally mirrored fields." Bulgaria was forned out of the disintegrating remnants of the Ottoman empire. Originally a monarchy, the king was ousted by the communists after World War Two, The communists were ousted in turn with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989-90. In 1999, the coinage was reformed. The SCWC doesn't state but we believe 1000 old leva = one new leva. This NCLT was the first gold issue under the new system and reflects the resurgence of Orthodox Christianity in the region.
Recorded mintage: 10,000.
Specification: 1.55 g, 0.999 fine gold, 0.050 oz, 13.9 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-21; KM-278.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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, The June 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
Link to:
- 1997 1000 leva, UNICEF
- 1998 5000 leva, the Euro
- 1998 20,000 leva, Tsar Ivan Alexander
- 1999 10 stotinki
- 1999 20 stotinki
- 1999 50 stotinki
- 2000 1 stotinka
- 2000 2 stotinki
- 2000 5 stotinki
- 2000 10 leva, the new Millennium
- 2000 10 leva, Weightlifting
- 2000 10 leva, Church of the Pantokrator
- 2000 10 leva, association with the European Union
- Coins and currency dated 1999