Catalog
1 Leu Moldovan Currency
| Issuer | Banca Națională a Moldovei |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 114 × 58 mm |
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| Obverse description | Portrait bust of Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great) in intaglio print occupies the left portion of the note, with his name inscribed vertically along the left margin in Cyrillic-influenced Latin script. The centre carries the large denomination numeral "1" and the text "UN LEU" set within an intricate guilloche underprint of yellow and green tones. To the right, a commemorative gold-toned medallion bearing the "15 ANI" anniversary inscription is printed, alongside the Guvernator's facsimile signature and a circular seal. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLICA MOLDOVA 2006 1 UN LEU ȘTEFAN CEL MARE GUVERNATOR FALSIFICAREA ACESTOR BILETE SE PEDEPSESTE CONFORM LEGILOR 15 ANI |
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| Comments |
Moldova's 1 Leu sits at the awkward bottom of a currency introduced in 1993 to replace the cupon — the short-lived transitional note used after the Soviet ruble collapsed. By 2006, a single leu had so little purchasing power that this denomination functioned almost entirely as change, and examples in genuinely circulated condition tend to show heavy soiling from that constant low-value handling.
Banque de France has printed Moldovan notes since the series launched, an arrangement reflecting both the lack of domestic printing infrastructure and Moldova's broader westward institutional tilt in the post-Soviet period.