The coins dedicated to the BNB itself
120, 125 and 130 years of the Bulgarian National Bank – and how the bank itself appears on coins
BulgarianCoins editorial team 3 min read
The Bulgarian National Bank was founded on 25 January 1879 – even before the first Bulgarian coins. Since 1999 the bank has marked its round anniversaries with commemorative coins. Here they are, with a short history behind them. All are collected on the BNB anniversaries page.
The three jubilee coins
| Year | Coin | Metal | Weight | Mintage | Issue price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 120 years of the BNB | gold 999 | 1.55 g | 30,000 | 40,000 old leva |
| 2004 | 125 years of the BNB | gold 999 | 7.78 g | 3,000 | 350 leva |
| 2009 | 130 years of the BNB | silver 999 | 23.33 g | 4,000 | 60 leva |
120 years (1999)
A small gold coin with a face value of 20,000 leva. It was issued in the year of the denomination, so its issue price is in old leva – 40,000, or 40 new leva. The mintage of 30,000 is large for a gold coin, so its price today is close to the value of the gold.
125 years (2004)
A gold 125 leva coin, 7.78 g of 999 gold and only 3,000 pieces. The face value matches the anniversary – a nice detail. The designers are Bogomil Nikolov and Ekaterina Dimitrova. It is the rarest of the three coins.
130 years (2009)
A silver 10 leva coin, 23.33 g of 999 silver and 4,000 pieces. The designers are Razvigor Kolev and Borislav Kyosev. Today it is offered for about €190, against an issue price of 60 leva (about €31).
A short history of the BNB
- 1879 – the bank is founded in Sofia as a state bank. Initially it takes deposits and grants loans.
- 1880 – the Law on the Right to Strike Coins introduces the lev as the national currency. In 1881 the first Bulgarian coins are issued.
- 1885 – the bank begins issuing banknotes.
- 1997 – a currency board is introduced. The lev is pegged to the German mark, and later to the euro.
- 1999 – denomination: 1,000 old leva become 1 new lev. See The denominations.
- 2026 – Bulgaria introduces the euro. The BNB becomes part of the Eurosystem and continues to issue commemorative coins, now in euro.
The Mint
Most BNB commemorative coins are struck by the Mint in Sofia, which is owned by the bank. Read more about the history of the coins in The history of Bulgarian coins.
Why collect them
The coins for the BNB’s anniversaries are a small, complete group of three coins. They tell the story of the institution that makes all the other coins. They are a good choice for a collector who wants a short thematic collection with a gold coin in it.
The next anniversary
In 2029 the BNB will turn 150. We can expect a new jubilee coin, probably in euro. Follow Upcoming coins.
Prices are medians of current listings on Balkan Auction as of 19.10.2026. For the 1999 and 2004 coins there are not enough listings at present.
