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20 Lei 1880 Provisional Issue
| Issuer | Banca Națională a României |
|---|---|
| Year | 1880 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central pedestal cartouche carries the legal warning inscription, with an oval value medallion above it surmounted by a bowl of flowers. A white round watermark medallion occupies the left field; two peasant women walking inward bearing hoes on their shoulders flank the composition. An ornamental guilloche border frames the design, with small coats of arms in the lower corners. |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Laureate head of Emperor Trajan facing inward. |
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| Comments |
Romania's first central bank — established only in 1880 — needed circulating notes quickly. Rather than commission an entirely new series, the BNR issued this note as a provisional measure using a plate design credited to Bramtot and Duval, with engraving by Paul Dujardin, all associated with French printing traditions of the period. The arrangement was typical of newly founded issuing institutions leaning on established Western European printing expertise while domestic infrastructure was still being organized.
The 1945 print date is not a misprint — this design was reissued during the turbulent final months of World War II, decades after its original introduction, as Romania faced acute currency shortages following the Soviet-backed political transition and the economic disruptions of the German occupation.