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25 Lei State Bank
| Issuer | Banca de Stat a Republicii Populare Române |
|---|---|
| Year | 1952 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 148 × 76 mm |
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| Obverse description | Intaglio portrait vignette of Tudor Vladimirescu at left, set within an oval guilloche frame, the revolutionary leader rendered in three-quarter view wearing traditional Romanian attire and a karakul hat, with his name inscribed below. A large central numeral '25' sits within an ornate rosette underprint against a pink and blue guilloche background, flanked by the state coat of arms at right. The bank title 'BANCA REPUBLICII POPULARE ROMANE · BANCA DE STAT' runs along the upper border, with the denomination 'DOUAZECI SI CINCI LEI' in bold letterpress across the lower centre and an anti-counterfeiting legend along the bottom margin. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A finely engraved central vignette occupies most of the field, portraying a mechanised grain harvest scene with a combine harvester and truck operating across an open agricultural landscape, workers visible atop the machinery, conveying the socialist-era emphasis on collectivised agriculture. Wheat sheaf ornaments frame the left and right borders, while denomination numerals '25' appear in each corner within octagonal cartouches. The country title 'REPUBLICA POPULARA ROMANA' is inscribed in a panel at the top, and the value 'DOUAZECI SI CINCI LEI' appears in a bold dark panel along the lower edge. |
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| Comments |
The 1952 Romanian monetary reform was one of the most punishing currency conversions in postwar Eastern Europe. Citizens were required to exchange old lei for new at rates that varied by the size of holdings — small balances received a relatively favorable rate, while larger sums were exchanged at near-confiscatory ratios. The reform simultaneously wiped out wartime inflation and destroyed private accumulated wealth in a single administrative stroke.
The print date of 30 April 1945 embedded in the plate predates the issuing authority by several years — the Banca de Stat itself was not established until the nationalization of the Romanian National Bank in 1948. Notes were prepared in advance and held in reserve before official release.