In accordance with the provisions of Law No. 312/2004 - The Statute of the National Bank of Romania, as from 28 November 2008, the National Bank of Romania is to launch for numismatic purposes a gold replica of the leu 20 coin of 1922 and a gold coin dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Grand Union of 1 December 1918.
The replica of the leu 20 coin of 1922 has the following characteristics:
- metal: gold;
- fineness: 900/1000;
- weight: 6.452 g;
- diameter: 21 mm;
- edge: milled;
- quality: B.U. 1
Obverse: the effigy of King Ferdinand I towards the left, with the king wearing a laurel garland on his head, surrounded by the text "FERDINAND I REGELE ROMANILOR"; below, the year of issue 1922, and beneath the portrait the engraver's name P. M. DAMMANN. Next to the bottom left side of the neck, the letter "R" from replica.
Reverse: the medium coat-of-arms of the Kingdom of Romania; above, the inscription "ROMANIA" and below, the face value "20 LEI".
The gold coin has the following characteristics:
- face value: leu 500;
- material: aur
- fineness: 999 ?;
- weight: 31.103 g;
- diameter: 35 mm;
- edge: milled;
- quality: proof.
Obverse: the face value "500 LEI", the year of issue 2008, Romania's coat-of-arms between two laurel branches, and the inscription "ROMANIA".
Reverse: the inscription "NIHIL SINE DEO", the steel crown of the Kingdom of Romania, the years "1918" and "2008", the inscription "1 DECEMBRIE" and a laurel garland.
The replica and the coin are embedded in transparent plastic capsules, being accompanied by leaflets in Romanian, English and French.
The leaflet comes with an authentication certificate bearing the signatures of both the Governor and the Head Cashier of the National Bank of Romania. The replicas and the coins will be displayed in appropriate cases having the NBR logo - BNR - inscribed on the lid.
The numismatic issues comprise 500 coins in case of the gold replica of the leu 20 coin of 1922 and 3,000 coins in case of the gold coin with face value of leu 500.
The gold replicas and the gold coins are put into circulation through the branches of the National Bank of Romania in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iaşi, and Timişoara.
1 Brilliant Uncirculated means that the coin described was never in circulation and thus retains its original mint lustre.