10 Lei

Moldova's 1994 note series was among the first fully independent issues after the leu replaced the cupon — the interim currency that had itself replaced Soviet rubles in 1992. The cupon was always a stopgap, deliberately crudely produced to discourage hoarding, and the 1994 leu notes marked Chișinău's attempt at something more permanent and credible.

Printed by the Canadian Bank Note Company, which handled several post-Soviet transitional currencies during this period. CBN's involvement was partly a political signal — aligning with Western printing infrastructure rather than Moscow.