King Carol I

More information First Leu Coins – 1867 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1867 Series
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	1 banu	15 mm		copper		Value, wreath, year of minting	coat of arms	1867
	2 bani	20 mm
	5 bani	25 mm
	10 bani	30 mm

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More information First Leu Coins – 1872-1873 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1872-1873 Series
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	50 bani	18 mm	2.5 g			Crown above date within wreath	Value above sprays	1873
	1 leu	23 mm	5 g	silver		Value, wreath, year of minting	CAROL I DOMNUL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, Lord of Romania")	1870		19 December 1931
	2 lei	27 mm	10 g			Value, wreath, ROMANIA	coat of arms, year of minting	1872

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More information First Leu Coins – 1880 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1880 Series
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	2 bani	20 mm		copper		Value, year of minting, ROMANIA, coat of arms	CAROL I DOMNUL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, Lord of Romania")	1880

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More information First Leu Coins – 1884 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1884 Series
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	5 bani	25 mm		copper		Value, year of minting, ROMANIA, coat of arms	CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, King of Romania")	1882
	2 bani	25 mm		copper		Value, year of minting, ROMANIA, coat of arms	CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, King of Romania")	1882

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More information First Leu Coins – 1900 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1900 Series
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	1 ban	15 mm	1 g	copper 95%, tin 4%, zinc 1%	Smooth	Value, year of minting, ROMANIA, coat of arms	CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, King of Romania")	1900
	2 bani	20 mm	2 g
	5 bani	19 mm	3.5 g	copper 75%, nickel 25%		ROMANIA, value	Steel crown, wreath, year of minting	1900
	10 bani	22 mm	4.5 g
	20 bani	25 mm	7 g
	50 bani	25 mm	2.5 g	silver 83.5%	Milled	Value, year of minting	CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI ("Carol I, King of Romania")	1884		19 December 1931
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1905 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1905 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	5 bani	19 mm	2.5 g	Copper 75%, Nickel 25%	Smooth	Value, year of minting, two roses	Royal Crown, state title on a ribbon	1905
	10 bani	22 mm	4 g
	20 bani	25 mm	7 g
	1 leu	23 mm	5 g	Silver 83.5%, Copper 16.5%	Milled	Value, "CAROL I DOMNUL ROMANIEI" ("Carol I Prince of Romania"), the effigy of Prince Carol I	"1866 - 1906", "CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI" ("Carol I King of Romania"), the effigy of the King	1881		19 December 1931
	5 lei	38 mm	25 g	Silver 90%, Copper 10%				1880
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1910 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1910 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	50 bani	18 mm	2.5 g	Silver 83.5%, Copper 16.5%	Milled	State title, value, year of minting, olive branch, Royal Crown	"CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI" ("Carol I King of Romania"), the effigy of the King	1910		19 December 1931
	1 leu	23 mm	5 g			State title, value, year of minting, peasant woman
	2 lei	27 mm	10 g
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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King Ferdinand I

The production of coins ceased in 1914, recommencing in 1921 with aluminium 25 and 50 bani pieces.

More information First Leu Coins – 1921 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1921 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	25 bani	19 mm	0.896 g	Aluminium	Smooth	Value, Royal Crown	Eagle, state title, year of minting	1921
	50 bani	21 mm	1.203 g
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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Cupro-nickel 1 and 2 lei coins were introduced in 1924, followed by nickel brass 10, 20 and 50 lei in 1930.

More information First Leu Coins – 1924 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1924 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	1 leu	21 mm	3.5 g	Copper 75%, Nickel 25%	Milled	"BUN PENTRU 'VALUE'" ("Good for 'value'"), wheat wreath	State title, Middle coat of arms, ***, year of minting, ***	1924	1 June 1940	31 March 1941 (unofficial, BNR accepted the change until mid-1942)
	2 lei	25 mm	7 g
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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King Michael I (first reign)

More information First Leu Coins – 1930 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1930 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	5 lei	21 mm	3.5 g	Copper 79%, Zinc 20%, Nickel 1%	Milled	Value Lesser coat of arms, six five-pointed stars	"MIHAI I REGELE ROMANIEI" ("Michael I King of Romania"), effigy of the King, year of minting	1930	1 January 1938	April 1943
	20 lei	27 mm	7.5 g			Value, group of dancing peasant women			19 December 1931	1 April 1933
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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King Carol II

More information First Leu Coins – 1930 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1930 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	10 lei	23 mm	5 g	Copper 79%, Zinc 20%, Nickel 1%	Milled	Value, the eagle from the coat of arms wearing on the shield the Royal Cypher of King Carol II, effigy of the King, year of minting	"CAROL II REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Carol II King of Romania"), year of minting	1930
	20 lei	27 mm	7.5 g
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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In 1932, silver 100 lei coins were issued. However, inflation meant that, in 1935, smaller silver 250 lei coins were introduced with nickel 100 lei coins being issued in 1936, followed by nickel 50 lei in 1937.

More information First Leu Coins – 1936 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1936 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	50 lei	24 mm	5.83 g	Nickel 97.5%	Milled	Value, the small shield from the coat of arms timbered by the Steel Crown, laurel and oak leaves, year of minting	"CAROL II REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Carol II King of Romania"), portrait of the King wearing a parade military helmet	September 1937	12 October 1941	31 December 1941
	100 lei	27 mm	8.2 g				"CAROL II REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Carol II King of Romania"), effigy of the King	December 1936	12 October 1941	31 December 1941
	250 lei	30 mm	12 g	Silver 83,5%, Copper 16,5%	+ MUNCA + CREDINTA + REGE + NATIUNE		"CAROL II REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Carol II King of Romania"), effigy of the King	1939	31 July 1941	31 August 1941
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1941-1942 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1941-1942 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	1 leu	18 mm	2.75 g	nickel-brass	smooth	maize, denomination	royal crown, ROMANIA, year of minting	1 June 1940 (all the coins marked as 1938, 1939 and 1940 were released in 1940)
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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King Michael I (second reign)

More information First Leu Coins – 1941-1942 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1941-1942 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	2 lei	20 mm	3.2 g	zinc	smooth	wreath, denomination	"REGATUL ROMANIEI" ("Kingdom of Romania"), crown, year of minting	1941
	5 lei	23 mm	4.5 g			oat sprigs, denomination		1942
	20 lei	26 mm	6.0 g		reeded	wreath, denomination		1942-1944
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1942 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1942 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	100 lei	28 mm	8.2 g	nickel clad steel		wreath, crown on top, denomination in the middle	"MIHAI I REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Michael I of Romania King of Romania"), effigy of the King	1943-1944
	200 lei	27 mm	7.5 g	brass				1945
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1942 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1942 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	200 lei	24 mm	6 g	silver 0.835	NIHIL + SINE + DEO		"MIHAI I REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Michael I of Romania King of Romania"), effigy of the King	1942
	250 lei	30 mm	12 g	silver 0.835				10 March 1941
	500 lei	37 mm	12 g	silver 0.835	PRIN STATORNICIE LA IZBANDA +	Kneeling Stephan the Great holding Putna Monastery; MOLDOVA LUI STEFAN IN VECI A ROMANIEI ("Stephen's Moldavia forever to belong to Romania")		1941
	500 lei	32 mm	12 g	silver 0.700			June 1944	28 August 1945	15 September 1945
	500 lei	30 mm	10 g	brass			1945
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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More information First Leu Coins – 1946-47 Series, Image ...

First Leu Coins – 1946-47 Series[1]
Image	Value	Technical parameters			Description			Date of
		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse	first minting	withdrawal	lapse
	500 lei	24 mm	1.5 g	aluminium			"MIHAI I REGELE ROMANILOR" ("Michael I of Romania King of Romania"), effigy of the King	1946	15 August 1947	15 August 1947
	2000 lei	24 mm	5.1 g	brass				1946
	10,000 lei	27 mm	10 g	brass				1947
	25,000 lei	32 mm	12.5 g	silver 0.700				1946
	100,000 lei	37 mm	25 g	silver 0.700			1946
These images are to scale at 2.5 pixels per millimetre. For table standards, see the coin specification table.

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King Michael I

People's Republic of Romania

After the creation of the People's Republic, new coins were issued between 1948 and 1952, in denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 20 lei.

People's Republic of Romania

In 1952, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10 and 25 bani, with the 1, 3 and 5 struck in aluminium bronze and the others in cupro-nickel. In 1955, cupro-nickel 50 bani were added.

In 1960, a new coinage was introduced, consisting of 15 and 25 bani, with 5 bani, 1 and 3 lei coins added in 1963. All were struck in nickel-clad steel. In 1975, aluminium replaced steel in the 5 and 15 bani, with the same change happening for the 25 bani in 1982. Aluminium 5 lei were introduced in 1978.

Socialist Republic of Romania

Post-Communist Romania

Following the end of the communist regime, a new coinage was introduced between 1990 and 1992, consisting of 1 leu in bronze clad steel, 5 and 10 lei in nickel-plated steel, 20 and 50 lei in brass clad steel and nickel-plated steel 100 lei.

As inflation took its toll, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 lei coins were introduced in 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively, and were the only coins circulating when the revaluation occurred. They were all criticized for being clumsy and difficult to use. The 500 lei coins were very thick (about 0.3 cm). Despite their small value, it took only a handful of such coins to fill one's pocket. They were also made of poor material and could be occasionally found with bite marks. The 1000 lei coin was considered too small and was also cheaply made, and the 5000 lei coin was not circular (it was a dodecagon). This made it awkward to handle and difficult to use in slot machines, where it was frequently the only coin accepted. The 500, 1,000 and 5,000 lei coins became worth 5, 10 and 50 bani with the revaluation.