RHM – Gabrovo presents the exhibition “When the Lev Becomes History”
The Regional History Museum – Gabrovo opens the temporary exhibition “When the Lev Becomes History” on Thursday, February 5, 2026. The exhibition gathers some of the most representative samples of coins and banknotes from the Third Bulgarian State and tells the story of our national currency in different eras.
145 years of the Bulgarian lev
The exhibition is dedicated to the 145th anniversary of our national currency and traces its development from the Liberation to the socialist period. The collection includes currency from:
Principality of Bulgaria (1880 – 1908), Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908 – 1946), People’s Republic of Bulgaria (1946 – 1990) and Republic of Bulgaria (1990 – 2025).
Through their denominations, design and style, Bulgarian coins and banknotes reflect key moments in the development of the country. They bear witness to the political, socio-economic and cultural policies of the country over time.
Highlight: the first Bulgarian banknote after the Liberation
Among the most valuable exhibits, a unique movable cultural treasure from the museum’s numismatic collection stands out – the first Bulgarian banknote after the Liberation with a denomination of BGN 20 and a unique serial number 000001.
The banknote was printed in 1885 by the Bulgarian National Bank in a circulation of 213 thousand leva. The first issue included denominations of 20 and 50 leva and was intended to introduce the national currency in a market flooded with foreign coins after the Liberation War.
Historical data indicate that the banknote was owned by a Gabrovo merchant who kept it at a time when Russian rubles and other foreign currencies were widely used. The series went out of use in 1907. Later, the merchant’s relatives sold the banknote to the Gabrovo Museum in 1961 for 250 leva – a considerable sum for its time, and the transaction was carried out by the heir Hristo Tyulyumbakov.
Until when can be seen
The exhibition “When the Lev Becomes History. Money of the Third Bulgarian State from the funds of the RHM – Gabrovo” can be viewed until 20 April 2026.