Twenty Stotinki (First Lev), Coin Type from Bulgaria - detailed information

There were only five issues of this denomination in the Principality/Kingdom of Bulgaria. The first issue was in 1888, the next followed 18 years later with a changed design - the main elements of the coin were the same but their rendition was different, redesigned by by Nikolaj Formás.

The transition from a principality under nominal Ottoman suzerainty to an independent kingdom (on 22 September 1906) was not reflected on coinage of small denominations - legends remained the same. Only on larger denominations the wording was changed from Principality of Bulgaria to Kingdom of Bulgaria, or (where an effigy of the monarch was depicted), his legend changed from Prince to Tsar (king).

The last issue was in 1917, with the same design as the earlier ones but in zinc. These coins have a distinctive bluish colour.