Bulgaria 1885 5 leva

from the Stack's Bowers 2020 Collector's Choice sale, lot 72179

photo courtesy Stacks Bowers LLC

This specimen was lot 72179 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description^[1] noted, "BULGARIA. 5 Leva, 1885. St. Petersburg Mint. Alexander I. NGC MS-61. A delightful Mint State crown, this example features some alluring toning atop its mostly steely gray surfaces, while a hint of luster shimmers throughout." This issue of 1884-85 is not a rare type in circulated condition but is rare choice. This example realized five times the catalog value.

Recorded mintage: 1,428,000.

Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 7, Dav-60.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The June 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.

Link to:

• 1884 5 leva
• 1888 2½ stotinki
• 1888 5 stotinki
• 1888 10 stotinki
• 1888 20 stotinki
• 1891 50 stotinki
• 1892-KB 5 leva
• Coins and currency dated 1885