- Silver .500
100 Years the Kiril and Metodii National Library
1978 · 5 leva · Bulgarian National Bank
Specifications
- Metal
- Silver 500/1000
- Weight
- 20.5 g
- Fine silver content
- 10.25 g (0.3295 oz t)
- Diameter
- 36 mm
- Quality
- Proof
- Official mintage
- 200,000
- Year of issue
- 1978
- Series
- Individual issue
- Designer
- Milislav Elenkov
- Minted by
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Catalogue no.
- BC-1978-03
- Issue price
- 5.00 лв
- pre-1999 lev · BNB, 1978
- Market value (asking prices)
- €39.99
- median asking price of 5 listings, €38.90 – €55.00 · Balkan Auction, 19 Oct 2026
- Melt value
- €16.71
- Ag spot €50.70/oz · Oct 2026
Market prices – asking prices
Asking prices on Balkan Auction, 19 Oct 2026
- Ungraded coins
- €38.90 – €55.00
- median asking price €39.99 · 5 listings
Sample listings
Asking prices of active listings (fixed price, starting price or current highest bid) in the public coin category of Balkan Auction. These are asking prices, not completed sales. Lots, sets, replicas, error varieties and precious-metal prices below the metal value are excluded. BulgarianCoins does not buy, sell or value coins.
Relative rarity
4/10 · Common
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get extra points, because much of that silver and gold was melted down and many coins were lost in the wars and withdrawn in 1952.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
Own this coin? Sell it at auction or at a fixed price to other collectors on the Bulgarian Coin Exchange. We do not buy or sell coins ourselves.
Obverse
The obverse features the coat of arms of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, with the value ‘ПЕТ ЛЕВА’ (5 levs) horizontally below, all within the words ‘НАРОДНА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ’ (People’s Republic of Bulgaria), and the value number ‘5’, flanked by floral motifs, below.
Reverse
The reverse depicts a representation of the National Library building and the St St Kiril and Metodii monument in front of it, with the anniversary years ‘1878-1978’ above. The design is surrounded by the words ‘НАРОДНА БИБЛИОТЕКА’ (National Library) above and the names ‘КИРИЛ И МЕТОДИЙ’ (Kiril and Metodii) below.
Edge & packaging
Flat edge. Issued in a protective capsule with an information leaflet. The BNB advises keeping the capsule closed.
About this coin
100 Years the Kiril and Metodii National Library
A 5 leva silver coin issued by the Bulgarian National Bank in 1978. 200,000 pieces were minted in Sofia, Bulgaria, to a design by Milislav Elenkov.
Sources: BNB coin page · BNB register and prices · market listing 1
