100 Lei Mihail Kogălniceanu

Mihail Kogălniceanu was the Moldavian-born statesman who drafted the proclamation uniting Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 — the act that effectively created modern Romania. Moldova's decision to issue a commemorative in his honor is quietly pointed, given the ongoing political tension over shared Romanian-Moldovan historical identity and Chișinău's complicated relationship with Bucharest.

Struck in .9999 fine gold at a 7.8 g specification, this places it within the National Bank of Moldova's modest but consistent precious-metal commemorative program, which has favored low-mintage cultural issues since the mid-2000s.