With Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone, starting today, the BNB ceases the issuance of commemorative coins with nominal values in leva and begins the issuance of collector coins with nominal values in euro. This is stated in the BNB Concept on the approach to issuing collector and commemorative coins with a Bulgarian national side, published on the central bank's website.
The BNB indicates that a list of commemorative coins issued for the period 1999 - 2025 with nominal values in leva, grouped both by series and by individual coins, will be published on the bank's official website. This will clearly distinguish the commemorative coins and series with nominal values in leva issued by the end of 2025 from the Bulgarian collector coins in euro, which the BNB will begin issuing in 2026.
The main goal of the BNB is to ensure sustainable development of numismatics in Bulgaria, by combining national traditions in coinage with international experience and continuity between coins issued before and after the introduction of the euro, commemorating a given event or person, but also with the possibility of selling the issued coins on the domestic and international numismatic market, the central bank notes.
According to European legislation, eurozone countries may issue circulation, commemorative and collector coins, the document explains. Circulation coins (circulation coins with a national side) are issued and put into circulation at face value. There are eight types according to their nominal value (1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 euro cents and 1 and 2 euros), with each coin having a common European and a distinctive national side.
Commemorative coins are issued only in the denomination of 2 euros and are dedicated to themes of great national or European importance. They may be issued up to twice a year, except in cases where the design is common to all Member States. Their issued volume is limited to ensure a small share of commemorative coins in the total number of coins. Collector coins have the status of legal tender only in the issuing country, and their nominal value must be different from the nominal values of the euro coins in circulation. This type of coin must differ significantly from the circulation coins in at least two of three parameters - color, diameter and weight.
After January 1, 2026, the BNB will continue to prepare a Program for the Issuance of Collector Euro Coins with a three-year horizon, the central bank also stated. The BNB's coin program will include coins with new technical parameters, mainly related to a change in the nominal value and the monetary unit from leva to euro.
The coin program for 2026, published on the BNB's website, provides for the issuance of one gold, three silver and one copper collector coin in the new year. The gold coin, which is expected in October, will have a face value of 100 euros and will be dedicated to St. Ivan Rilski. The silver coins are “125 years of electric trams in Bulgaria“, “150 years of the April Uprising“ and “Preobrazhenski Monastery“. Their nominal value will be 10 euros, and they are expected in January, April and August respectively. The copper coin, with a nominal value of 5 euros, will be dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of Krastyo Sarafov and is expected in March.
From 2026, the BNB will have the right to issue up to two commemorative coins per year with a nominal value of 2 euros, which should undergo a preliminary coordination procedure with the European Commission and the ECB at least six months before their issuance. In this regard, the BNB's Coinage Program for 2026 provides for the issuance of a commemorative coin “Bulgarian Alphabet“ of 2 euros in the second half of 2026.
As of today, the BNB will cease issuing the gold commemorative coin “St. Virgin Mary - Golden Apple" without a specific mintage. The BNB explains the decision with reduced interest among collectors in this coin due to the lack of a limited mintage and its high price. They also explain that the lack of a limited mintage is in contradiction with a European regulation from 2012, according to which “issues of collector coins are included in the total quantity of coins approved by the European Central Bank“.