Catalog
5000 Leva
| Issuer | Bulgarska Narodna Banka (Bulgarian National Bank) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1919 |
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| Reference(s) | P#26D |
| Obverse description | Plain white note of treasury-bond (срочен касов бон) format, with text entirely in Cyrillic printed in black letterpress. The date 'София, 25 октомври 1919 год.' and the denomination 'Лева 5.000' appear in the upper portion, above the large central title 'СРОЧЕН КАСОВ БОН'. The body carries the redemption text of the Bulgarska Narodna Banka, with the amount in bold Cyrillic ('петь хиляди'), alongside manuscript signatures for the Контрольор, Управител, and Каснер, and a validity clause reading 'Тоя бонъ важи до тридесет първи декември 1919 година'; red cancellation overprints are visible across the face. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | СРОЧЕН КАСОВ БОН ОБРАЗЕЦЪ |
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| Comments |
Bulgaria's postwar monetary situation was dire enough that by 1919 the government was issuing notes of this denomination to cope with inflation driven partly by war reparations obligations under the Treaty of Neuilly, signed that same November. The 5000 Leva was an enormous sum for domestic circulation at the time — the Bulgarian lev had shed most of its prewar purchasing power during the First World War, and large-denomination paper was a practical necessity rather than a prestige issue.
Pick 26D is a signature variety within the broader 1919 5000 Leva series; the lettered suffixes distinguish different cashier and governor signing combinations rather than separate print runs. Collectors frequently conflate the varieties, making accurate attribution worth verifying before purchase.