100 Lei Proclamation of Independence

Moldova declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991, making 2001 the tenth anniversary the National Bank chose to commemorate with this issue. The proclamation itself came just days before the failed coup attempt against Gorbachev collapsed — Moldova had moved quickly, and the timing proved fortunate.

The National Bank issued a number of silver commemoratives during this period as the country worked to establish numismatic credibility abroad, with collector export sales generating modest but meaningful hard currency revenue.