10 Leva Tsar Ivan Asen II

Ivan Asen II ruled Bulgaria from 1218 to 1241 and is widely regarded as the most capable monarch of the Second Bulgarian Empire. His decisive victory over the Despotate of Epirus at the Battle of Klokotnitsa in 1230 dramatically expanded Bulgarian territory to three seas — the Black, Aegean, and Adriatic — making it briefly the dominant power in the Balkans ahead of both Byzantium and the Latin Empire.

The Bulgarian National Bank has issued a long-running commemorative series honoring medieval Bulgarian rulers. This piece falls within that program, with partial gold plating a consistent feature applied to distinguish regal iconography from background elements across the series.