General Info
As of 1 July 2005, Romania's legal tender, previously coded as ROL, has been redenominated so that ROL 10,000 are exchanged for 1 new leu (RON).
Old currency ceased to be legal tender at 31 December 2006.
Between 1 January - 31 January 2007, banknotes and coins of the old currency issue, which ceased to be legal tender at 1 January 2007, have been exchanged free of charge at the counters of NBR branches in Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj and Timisoara, credit institutions, and the State Treasury.
Between 1 February 2007 - 31 December 2009, banknotes printed on polymer substrate and metal coins of the old currency issue have been exchanged free of charge at NBR branches in Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj and Timisoara at the counter or by mail, and at the counter of BRD - Groupe Société Générale units.
During 4 January - 31 December 2010, banknotes printed on polymer substrate and metal coins of the old currency issue may be exchanged free of charge at the counter of BRD - Groupe Société Générale units.
Starting with January 3
rd 2011, banknotes printed on polymer substrate and metal coins of the old currency issue may be exchanged, with no time limit and free of charge, only at the NBR branches in Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj and Timisoara, at the counter or by mail.
Description of the new notes and coins
All notes are printed on polymer substrate. Their designs and background colours are similar to the old notes.
The denomination composition features a new value, RON 500, which is the equivalent of ROL 5,000,000.
The size of the new notes is the same as that of euro notes.
The new coins have the same alloy composition as euro coins, but they differ in terms of size and weight.
Pictures and details>>>
Presentations and Interviews
Launch of the RON 200 banknote
presentation by Mr. Mugur Isarescu, the NBR Governor, at the Press Conference
14 November 2006 (available in Romanian only, pdf-file: 1 MB)
"Stage of Redenomination - Issue of a New Banknote"
presentation by Mr. Mugur Isarescu, Governor of the National Bank of Romania, at the press conference
12 April 2006 (available in Romanian only -pdf: 460 KB)
Presentation by Mr. Mugur Isarescu, Governor of the National Bank of Romania, at the Southeastern European Financial Forum titled "New Leu and the Romanian Economy"
22 June 2005 (available in Romanian only -pdf: 560 KB)
Roundtable hosted by the NBR focusing on the activities performed so far with a view to enforcing the "Law on the redenomination of domestic currency"
8 June 2005 (available in Romanian only, pdf files)
Presentation of RON notes and coins to the general public,
press conference held by Mr. Mugur Isarescu, Governor of the National Bank of Romania,
21 April 2005 (pdf: 1.55 MB)
THE NEW LEU MAKES THINGS EASIER,
presentation by Mr. Mugur Isarescu, Governor of the National Bank of Romania, at the meeting organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest
15 March 2005 (available in Romanian only - pdf: 590K)
Event: "Denominarea leului - punctul de vedere al sistemului bancar" (Redenomination of the Leu from the Perspective of Romanian Banks), held by NBR on 17 Nov. 2004