Basic Country Data:

• Country ISO Code: BG

• Official Language: Bulgarian

• Language ISO Code: bg

• Current Official Currency: Bulgarian lev

• Current Currency ISO Code: BGN

1. Bulgarian Lev (BGN) — Current Official Currency

• ISO Code: BGN

• Singular Name: lev

• Plural Name: leva

• Monetary Subdivision: 1 lev = 100 stotinki

• Subdivision Name Singular: stotinka

• Subdivision Name Plural: stotinki

• Initial Production Date: 1999 (after last redenomination)

• Final Production Date: ongoing

• Initial Circulation Date: 1999

• Final Circulation Date: currently in circulation

• Mint: Sofia Mint

• Issuing Bank: Bulgarian National Bank

• Coin Denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki; 1 and 2 leva

• Banknote Denominations: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 leva

• Designs / Symbols:

  • Coins depict national symbols and historical motifs.

  • Banknotes feature portraits of prominent Bulgarian figures and cultural elements.

• Current Circulation Status: active official currency

• Economic Historical Context:

  • Following hyperinflation in 1997, a redenomination of 1000:1 was carried out in 1999.

  • The lev is pegged to the euro via a currency board at a fixed rate of 1.95583 leva = 1 euro.

• Relevant Legislation: Bulgarian National Bank Act and other regulations

• Signatories on Banknotes: Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank

• Persons Honored: prominent Bulgarian cultural, scientific, and historical personalities

• Mint and Production: Sofia Mint, with high standards of quality and security

• Curiosities and Commemorative Issues:

  • Bulgaria issues commemorative coins and banknotes on special occasions.

  • The currency remains stable and widely accepted domestically and in some neighboring regions.

2. Historical Currencies of Bulgaria

a) Old Lev (BGL)

• Used until 1999 before redenomination

• Redenomination: 1000 old leva = 1 new lev (BGN)

• Subject to hyperinflation during the 1990s

b) Bulgarian Lev (19th and 20th centuries)

• Introduced in 1881 after liberation

• Linked to monetary systems like the gold standard and currency board at various times

• Reformed multiple times throughout history

This report provides a complete financial history of Bulgaria, focusing on the current Bulgarian lev, its characteristics, historical currencies, and economic context.