Romania 1982-FM 500 lei
This specimen was lot 75407 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2024), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[1] noted, "ROMANIA. 500 Leva, 1982-FM. Pennsylvania (Franklin) Mint. NGC PROOF-70 Ultra Cameo. Issued to commemorate the 2,050th anniversary of the first independent state. An example that is completely flawless, delivering rich cameo contrast, with handsome beauty and much eye appeal that engrosses and captivates." While power outages darkened Bucharest and children starved in the orphanages, the Communist regime commissioned the Franklin Mint to produce a series of silver and gold commemoratives to honor the 2,050th Anniversary of the First Independent State. They were minted in 1982-83 in denominations of fifty, hundred, five hundred and one thousand lei. The coinage of Communist Romania is scanty and most years saw none issued at all.
Recorded mintage: 7,500 plus proofs.
Specification: 8 g, 0.900 fine gold, 25 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-23; KM-99.
- 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, September 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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