Two Leva 1916, Coin from Bulgaria - detailed information

This is the key date, and essentially the key coin of all the coinage of the modern Bulgarian (post-1878) state. The 1916 issue of Bulgarian coins was never released into circulation. The whole issue was made obsolete by inflation during World War I and the Bulgarian government decided to melt all the already struck coins in order to recover the silver from them, which at that point was more expensive than their face value. They were all supposed to have been remelted without leaving the mints (Vienna and Kremnitz, in what was then Austria-Hungary); however, an unknown (but extremely small) number of coins have made it into the market, and there has never been an explanation of how they survived.

According to the Bulgarian National Bank, around 10 examples are thought to have survived. Examples of the smaller denominations - One Lev 1916 and 50 Stotinki 1916 also exist and are extremely rare was well, although not to that degree.

The edge of the coin carries the inscription БОЖЕ ПАЗИ БЪЛГАРИЯ - God Save Bulgaria.

Collectors should beware of recent forgeries.