In virtue of Law 101/1998 - The NBR Act, as subsequently amended and suplemented, and Ordinance No. 45/1998 issued by the Government of Romania, as approved by Law No. 244/1998 vesting the NBR with the power to put in circulation numismatic coins made of precious metals, the National Bank of Romania shall issue, as from 27 May 2002, one bimetal coin consisting of a silver core bordered with a golden ring, with face value of ROL 2,000 on "The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of the Writer, Linguist and Political Figure Ion Heliade Radulescu".
The features of the coin are the following:
- shape: round;
- composition: bimetal - silver core bordered with golden ring;
- total weight: 25 g;
- weight of silver core: 10 g;
- weight of golden ring: 15 g;
- fineness of silver: 999/1000;
- fineness of gold: 999/1000;
- diameter of coin: 35 mm;
- diameter of silver core: 26 mm;
- thickness of edging: 2.2 mm;
- quality: proof;
- edge: milled;
- year of issue: 2002.
The obverse of the coin features:
- the year of issue "2002", engraved vertically in the centre of the coin, on the silver core. On the right of the year of issue is Romania's coats-of-arms and on the left a poet's lyre with two crossed laurel twigs with pen shaped endings;
- the inscription "ROMANIA" and the "2000 LEI" face value, separated by two groups of stylised rhombic adornments placed circularly on the golden ring.
The reverse of the coin features:
- engraved on the silver core, the portrait of the writer Ion Heliade Radulescu, as depicted in the painting in the assembly hall of the Academy of Romania and in other official publications;
- the name of the writer "ION HELIADE RADULESCU", the year of birth "1802" and of death "1872" along the circumference of the golden ring, separated by a stylised rhombic adornment. The writer's facsimile signature is reproduced on the lower part of the coin.
The bimetal coins are encapsulated in transparent plastic cases, and are accompanied by authentication certificates (in Romanian and English), bearing serial numbers and the signature of both the Governor and the Head Cashier of the National Bank of Romania, as well as by a prospectus.
The 500 coins are to be sold both on domestic and foreign markets.
For numismatic purposes, the bimetal coins issued by the National Bank of Romania may be purchased by individuals or corporate entities, and either held or exchanged by observing the provisions of Art. 2 of Ordinance No. 45/1998 issued by the Government of Romania and approved by Law No. 244/1998.
The bimetal coins with face value of ROL 2,000 - year of issue 2002 - on the 200th anniversary of the birth of the writer, linguist and political figure Ion Heliade Radulescu" are legal tender in Romania.
The design of the coins is protected by registration with the State Office of Trademarks (OSIM) in Romania. Forgery or counterfeiting of these coins is an infringement of the law and shall be penalised accordingly.
The branches of the National Bank of Romania are in charge of putting into circulation the gold coins for numismatic purposes.