- Gold .900
- Low mintage
1100 Years Slavonic Letters
1965 · 20 leva · Bulgarian National Bank
Specifications
- Metal
- Gold 900/1000
- Weight
- 16.89 g
- Fine gold content
- 15.20 g (0.4887 oz t)
- Diameter
- 27 mm
- Quality
- Proof
- Official mintage
- 3,000
- Year of issue
- 1965
- Series
- Individual issue
- Designer
- Alexander Poplilov
- Minted by
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Catalogue no.
- BC-1965-01
- Issue price
- 20.00 лв
- pre-1999 lev · BNB, 1965
- Market value (asking prices)
- —
- no verified data yet
- Melt value
- €1,811.24
- Au spot €3,706.07/oz · Oct 2026
Relative rarity
7/10 · Rare
How we calculate it
The score starts from the mintage on a logarithmic scale (500 coins or fewer = 10, ten million = 1). Coins of the Principality and the Kingdom that circulated get extra points, because much of that silver and gold was melted down and many coins were lost in the wars and withdrawn in 1952. Modern commemorative coins lose a point, since almost all of them survive in collections. Finally we look at how often the coin is offered on Balkan Auction: frequent offers lower the score.
Bulgarian Coin Exchange · Beta
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Obverse
The obverse features the value ‘20 ЛЕВА’ (20 levs) and a shield with the letters ‘А Б В’, flanked by laurel twigs below, within the circumscription ‘НАРОДНА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ’ (People’s Republic of Bulgaria).
Reverse
The reverse depicts the images of St. St. Cyril and Methodius, each holding a roll of parchment, encircled by the inscriptions ‘КИРИЛ И МЕТОДИЙ’ (Cyril and Methodius), ‘СЛАВЯНСКА ПИСМЕНОСТ’ (Slavonic Letters), and the anniversary years ‘863-1963’.
Edge & packaging
Flat edge. Issued in a protective capsule with an information leaflet. The BNB advises keeping the capsule closed.
About this coin
1100 Years Slavonic Letters
A 20 leva gold coin issued by the Bulgarian National Bank in 1965. 3,000 pieces were minted in Sofia, Bulgaria, to a design by Alexander Poplilov.
Sources: BNB coin page · BNB register and prices
