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20 Lei - Carol I
| Issuer | Romania |
|---|---|
| Year | 1868 |
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| Composition | Gold (.900) |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed, bearded effigy of Prince Carol I facing left, rendered in high relief with fine engraving detail to the hair and beard. The portrait is positioned centrally within the field, displaying a strong classical profile characteristic of mid-19th century European coinage. The circular legend CAROL I DOMNULŬ ROMÂNILORŬ (Carol I, Lord of the Romanians) runs along the entire periphery in raised Latin letters. The coin border is defined by a continuous beaded inner rim. The overall design reflects the neoclassical style associated with the engraver Kullrich. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Romania's first gold coinage as a modern state emerged from a peculiar constitutional moment: Carol I had been ruling as Domn (Prince) since 1866, but the country had not yet established a functioning national mint or a coherent monetary framework. These 1868 pieces were struck in Brussels, at the Monnaie Royale de Belgique, Romania having neither the infrastructure nor the political stability to produce gold domestically. The Latin Monetary Union's specifications — to which Romania would formally adhere in 1889 — effectively dictated the coin's parameters years before membership.
KM#5 is the first year of the type. Brussels mintmark is the key diagnostic for attribution.