Romania 2002 500 lei Fr-38

Goldberg NY International sale 58, lot 1257

This specimen was part of lot 1257 in Goldberg's NY International sale 58 (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $2,760. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Romania-Republic. Three-piece Set of Gold 500 Lei, 2002 total weight 18.66 g. Christian Feudal Art Monuments series. View of the Mogosoaia Palace, Bistrita Monastery and Coltea Church. Rev. Arms within ribbon scroll cartouche (KM 174-176) 250 sets were minted. In original case. Brilliant Uncirculated." The post-communist regime in Romania has taken to issuing NCLT's honoring bizarre events and anniversaries. This one honors a historic monastery, a more conventional topic. Another gold 500 lei (KM 175) honored a palace while KM 145 was struck in aluminum for circulation.

Recorded mintage: 250 proofs.

Specification: 6.22 g, 0.999 fine gold, 23.2 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Fr-38, KM 174.

Source:

• 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, 2001-Date, 13th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2018.
• ^[1]Goldberg, Ira, Stephen Harvey and Vera Kan, Goldberg NY International 2023 Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.

Link to:

• 2001 1000 lei, 1900th Anniversary of the First Roman-Dacian War
• 2001 5000 lei, the 125th anniversary of the birth of sculptor Constantin Brancusi
• 2002 500 lei, Mogosoaia Palace
• 2002 500 lei, Coltea Church
• 2007 500 lei, Nicolae Balcescu
• Coins and currency dated 2002