With Bulgaria's accession to the Eurozone as of today, the BNB is ceasing the issuance of commemorative coins with nominal values in Bulgarian leva and is starting the issuance of collector coins with a nominal value in euros. This is stated in the BNB Concept for the approach to issuing collector and commemorative coins with a Bulgarian national side, published on the central bank's website.
The BNB points out 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 official website of the bank. 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 euros, which the BNB will start issuing in 2026.
The main goal of the BNB is to ensure the sustainable development of numismatics in Bulgaria, combining national traditions in coin minting with international experience and continuity between the coins issued before and after the introduction of the euro, the commemoration of an event or person, but also with the possibility of realizing the issued coins on the domestic and international numismatic market, note the central bank.
According to European law, Eurozone countries can issue circulation, commemorative and collector coins, the document explains. Coins in circulation (circulation coins with a national side) are issued and put into circulation at face value. They are eight types according to their nominal value (1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 euro cents and 1 and 2 euros), and each coin has a common European and a distinctive national side.
Commemorative coins are issued only and solely with a nominal value of 2 euros and are dedicated to themes of great national or European significance. They can 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 compared to 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 euro coins in circulation. This type of coin must differ significantly from 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 points out. The BNB's coin program will include coins with new technical parameters, mainly related to changing the nominal value and the currency unit from leva to euros.
The coin program for 2026, published on the BNB's website, provides for the issuance of one gold, three silver and one copper collector coins 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 since the April Uprising" and "Transfiguration Monastery". Their nominal value will be 10 euros, and they are expected in January, April and August, respectively. The copper coin, with a face 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 must go through a preliminary consultation procedure with the European Commission and the ECB at least six months before their issuance. In this regard, the BNB Coin Program for 2026 provides for the issuance of a 2 euro commemorative coin "Bulgarian Alphabet" in the second half of 2026.
As of today, the BNB will stop issuing the gold commemorative coin "St. Mary - Golden Apple" without a specific circulation. The BNB explains the decision with reduced interest among collectors in this coin due to the lack of a limited edition and its high price. They also explain that the lack of a limited edition is in contradiction with a European regulation from 2012, according to which "issues of collector coins are included in the total quantity of coins, which is approved by the European Central Bank".