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1000 Lei
| Issuer | Banca Națională a României |
|---|---|
| Year | 1947 |
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| Currency | Second leu (1947-1952) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The Romanian state arms — an eagle displayed bearing a shield quartered with regional emblems, surmounted by a royal crown — occupies the centre, surrounded by a rich cornucopia-style vignette of agricultural produce, flowers, and foliage rendered in fine intaglio. The bank title BANCA NATIONALA A ROMANIEI runs across the top in a ribbon cartouche, with numeral 1000 at each upper corner. A lengthy legal warning text in Romanian appears in a panel below the arms, and the denomination UNA MIE LEI is repeated in two cartouches along the lower border. |
| Reverse lettering | 1000 BANCA NATIONALA A ROMANIEI 1000 UNA MIE LEI FALSIFICATORII ACESTOR BILETE, ACEI CARI VOR FI INTREBUINTAT BILETE FALSE, COMPLICII LOR PRECUM SI ACEI CARI VOR FI INCERCAT A COMITE ASEMENEA FAPTE, VOR FI PEDEPSITI CONFORM LEGILOR PENALE |
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| Comments |
Romania's postwar inflation was severe enough that by 1947, the 1000 Lei was effectively a low-denomination note in practical terms. The Communist-backed government that had been consolidating power since 1945 oversaw a currency reform in August 1947 that wiped out old lei holdings at punishing exchange rates — 20,000 old lei to 1 new leu, with strict limits on how much any household could convert. Notes from this series were rendered worthless almost immediately after issue.
The reform was as much political instrument as monetary policy, deliberately destroying the savings of the bourgeoisie and rural landowners.