Bulgarian Empire (681-1018, 1185-1371), Principality of Bulgaria (1878-1908), Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908-1946), People's Republic of Bulgaria (1946-1990), Republic of Bulgaria (1990-present)
Country in the Balkans
Location: Southeast Balkans
Capital City: Pliška (681-893), Preslav (893-972), Skopje (972-992), Ohrid (992-1018), Tarnovo (1185-1371, 1878-1879), Sofia (1879-present)
Government type: Absolute Monarchy (681-1018, 1185-1371, 1878-1879, 1935-1943), Constitutional Monarchy (1879-1935, 1943-1946), Communist Republic (1946-1990), Republic (1990-present)
Main languages: Bulgarian
Main religions: Orthodox Christianity
Chronology
681: Bulgars establish a state south of the Danube
971-976: Occupied by Byzantine Empire
1018: Conquered by Byzantines
1185: Independence restored after rebellion against Byzantium
1274-1300: Mongol invasions
1371: Split into the states of Tarnovo, Vidin, Lovech, and Dobruja
1878: Independence restored as de jure Ottoman vassal
1908: Principality raised to Kingdom, Ottoman vassalage formally ends
1944-1947: Soviet Occupation
1946: Communists sieze power
1990: Communist regime falls
Currency
Grosh (1185-1371)
First Lev (1881-1952)
1 Lev = 100 Stotinki
Second Lev (1952-1962)
1 Lev = 100 Stotinki
Third Lev (1962-1999)
1 Lev = 100 Stotinki
Fourth Lev (1999-2025)
1 Lev = 100 Stotinki
Euro (2026-present)
1 Euro = 100 Euro Cents
Note: The rulers Ferdinand I (1887-1908) and Ferdinand I (1908-1918) are the same person, just with different titles.
Coins from Bulgaria in the collection
Second Empire (1185-1371)
•1 Grosh, Emperor Ivan Alexander (1331-1371) (silver)
Principality (1878-1908)
•2 Stotinki, 1901, (Prince Ferdinand I (1887-1908), bronze, Paris mint, KM#23.1)
•20 Stotinki, 1906, (Prince Ferdinand I (1887-1908), cupronickel, Kremnica mint, KM#26)
Kingdom (1908-1946)
•5 Stotinki, 1913, (King Ferdinand I (1908-1918), cupronickel, Vienna mint, KM#24)
•10 Stotinki, 1913, (King Ferdinand I (1908-1918), cupronickel, Vienna mint, KM#25)
•20 Stotinki, 1917, (King Ferdinand I (1887-1908), zinc, KM#26a)
•2 Lev, 1925, (King Boris III (1918-1943), cupronickel, Société Française de Monnayage (Poissy), KM#38)
•5 Lev, 1941, (King Boris III (1918-1943), iron, Vienna mint, KM#39a)
•100 Lev, 1930, (King Boris III (1918-1943), silver (.500), Budapest mint, KM#43)
Communist Republic (1946-1990)
•1 Stotinka, 1951 (brass, Sofia mint, KM#50)
•20 Stotinki, 1954 (cupronickel, Sofia mint, KM#55)
•1 Stotinka, 1962 (bronze, Sofia mint, KM#59)
•2 Stotinki, 1962 (bronze, Sofia mint, KM#60)
•10 Stotinki, 1962 (nickel brass, Sofia mint, KM#62)
•2 Leva, 1969 (cupronickel, Sofia mint, KM#75) Commemorative: 25th Anniversary of Socialist Regime
Republic (1990-present)
•2 Stotinki, 2000 (bronze-plated steel, Sofia mint, KM#238a)
•1 Lev, 2002 (cupronickel center in brass ring, Sofia mint, KM#254)
•2 Leva, 2015 (nickel brass center in cupronickel ring, Sofia mint, KM#337)
Banknotes from Bulgaria in the collection
Kingdom (1908-1946)
•20 Leva, 1943 (King Boris III (1918-1943), P#63)
Communist Republic (1946-1990)
•3 Leva, 1951 (P#81)
•10 Leva, 1951 (P#83)
•25 Leva, 1951 (P#84)
•1 Lev, 1962 (P#88)
•10 Leva, 1974 (P#96)
Republic (1990-present)
•20 Leva, 1991 (P#100)
•50 Leva, 1992 (P#101)
•100 Leva, 1993 (P#102)