Description
The lev is the official currency of Bulgaria. The official currency symbol: лв. The term “lev” meant “lion” in old Bulgarian; the contemporary word for “lion” is luv. The name “stotinka” is derived from the word “sto”, which means “a hundred.” Four lev have been introduced in Bulgaria, the first was adopted in 1881, and the last, in current use, was adopted in 1999. During the adoption of the latter lev, and after a redenomination process, coins were introduced in the denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 stotinki. In 2002, a 1 lev coin replaced the 1 lev banknote, and in 2015, a 2 lev coin replaced the 2 lev banknote.
The 5 Bulgarian stotinki coin front design features the denomination followed by twelve stars and the issue date. The reverse of the coin illustrates the Madara Rider or Madara Horseman (UNESCO World Heritage Site) which is an early medieval (7th – 8th century) large rock relief, carved on the Madara Plateau east of Shumen in northeastern Bulgaria, during the reign of Bulgar Khan Tervel. The name of the country is featured at the top of the design. This coin is part of the 2000 – 2002 series, its rim is plain, and its color is gold.
Text: БЪЛГАРИЯ, 5, СТОТИНКА, 2000.