How to complete a series and what it really costs
The bill for “Medieval Bulgarian Rulers” and “Bulgarian Iconography” – at issue prices and at market prices
BulgarianCoins editorial team 3 min read
Many collectors start with one coin they like and then decide to collect the whole series. That is a wonderful goal, but it is good to know what it costs. We did the sums for two popular BNB series.
Example 1: “Medieval Bulgarian Rulers”
A silver series of 10 leva, silver 925 (the latest coin is 999), 23.33 g, proof. All the coins are on the series page.
| Year | Coin | Mintage | Issue price | Median listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Khan Krum | 5,000 | €43 | ≈ €350 |
| 2013 | Tsar Samuil | 4,000 | €40 | no listings |
| 2014 | Tsar Simeon the Great | 3,000 | €32 | ≈ €1,400 |
| 2017 | Khan Tervel | 3,000 | €34 | ≈ €625 |
| 2018 | Tsar Ivan Asen II | 3,000 | €40 | ≈ €400 |
| 2021 | Khan Omurtag | 3,000 | €49 | ≈ €400 |
| 2022 | Tsar Kaloyan | 5,000 | €58 | ≈ €500 |
| 2023 | Tsar Mihail III Shishman | 5,000 | €74 | ≈ €255 |
The bill: all eight coins cost about €370 at issue prices. The seven with listings are offered today for a total of about €3,900. A collector who bought each coin at issue has saved a lot of money compared with one who starts now.
Example 2: “Bulgarian Iconography”
A gold series of 20 and 100 leva since 2003. The details are in Coins with religious themes and icons.
- The sum of the issue prices for the 17 coins with a known issue price is about €7,000.
- The sum of the median listings for the same coins is about €38,000.
- One coin makes a big difference: St George the Victorious 2007 is offered for about €7,000. That is nearly a fifth of the price of the whole series.
What the examples show
The key coin sets the budget. Almost every series has one or two coins with a smaller mintage or greater demand. They cost as much as all the others put together.
An early start is the cheapest. If you buy new coins at the issue price, collecting a series is affordable. Catching up on old coins is expensive.
The market is not uniform. Some coins have many listings, others none. For coins without listings you may wait months.
A strategy for a complete series
- Pick the series. Open the series page from the list of series and see how many coins there are.
- Buy the key coin first. It will only get harder to find.
- Follow the new issues. See Upcoming coins and how to buy from the BNB.
- Ask for a discount for a set. Sellers offering several coins from one series often give a discount.
- Keep a uniform quality. A series with matching capsules and certificates is worth more when sold.
- Keep an inventory. See How to catalogue your collection.
Or choose a theme
If the complete series is too expensive, consider thematic collecting – for example only rulers, only animals or only ships. See Thematic collecting.
Prices are medians of current listings on Balkan Auction as of 19.10.2026. They are asking prices, not sales.
