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  • 20 Leva, Bulgaria, 1991, UNC
  • 20 Leva, Bulgaria, 1991, UNC
Features
Brief description The visual style of this banknote is dedicated to the unique historical and cultural heritage of the medieval Bulgarian state. Issued as part of the initial post-communist series for the third lev of the Republic of Bulgaria, this 20 Leva note moves toward national identity and sacred art. The dimensions of the note are 119 x 59 mm. It remained in circulation until July 31, 1998, when it was officially demonetized ahead of the upcoming monetary reform and the introduction of new currency designs.

Obverse: The front of the banknote features a portrait of Sebastocratorina Desislava, a prominent 13th-century Bulgarian noblewoman and a ktitorica (founder and patroness) of the famous Boyana Church. The design is based on a beautiful fragment of an authentic medieval fresco, widely regarded as a masterpiece of European medieval art. The Cyrillic inscriptions identify the issuer as the “Българска Народна Банка” (Bulgarian National Bank) and state the denomination as “Двадесет Лева” (Twenty Leva). The note was designed by Antonii Ivanov.

Reverse: The reverse expands on the theme of historic national monuments, showcasing an architectural view of the Boyana Church on the right (a unique church near Sofia and a UNESCO World Heritage site). The left side emphasizes the large numeral “20” and the text “ДВАДЕСЕТ ЛЕВА.” The inscriptions, written in Cyrillic, repeat the issuer's name and include a standard legal warning stating that counterfeiters will be punished according to the law.

Security Features & Substrate: Manufactured on premium security paper by the famous German printing works Wertpapierdruckerei in Leipzig. The note features the official signatures of Governor Todor Valchev and Chief Cashier Lyuben Ivanov, along with a distinctive watermark depicting a rampant heraldic lion—a historic symbol of Bulgarian statehood.

Topical Collecting Themes: Modern history and monetary reforms of Bulgaria (early post-socialist Republic issues), prominent women on currency, medieval history and aristocracy (Sebastocratorina Desislava), frescoes, religious iconography and early European art, architecture, ancient churches and UNESCO World Heritage sites (Boyana Church), rampant lions (watermarks), banknotes manufactured in Germany (Leipzig), demonetized historical banknotes.
Quantity 3
Banknote material Paper
Denomination 20
Рік 1991
Орієнтація Horizontal
Country Bulgaria
Тип банкноти Circulating
Назва валюти Lev
Банк-емітент Bulgarian National Bank
Основний колір Multicolor
Принтер Wertpapierdruckerei (Leipzig, Germany)
Основна тема аверсу Outstanding women
Основна тема реверсу Religion
Рік демонетизації 1998
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20 Leva, Bulgaria, 1991, UNC

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SKU: 004392
2.14USD
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