בולגריה – Bulgaria

בולגריה                         
the lev was introduced as Bulgaria’s currency in 1881, and have been the official currency ever since, during almost 140 years period, the Lev has passed by forth stages, been paired with the French Franc at the beginning, later to the dollar and during the last 20 years pegged first to the German Mark and after to the Euro at exchange rate of 1.95583 leva = 1 .  In 1881 the first Bulgarian coins – copper coins in denominations of 2, 5 and 10 stotinki – were minted in England, and in 1882 silver 1 and 2 leva coins were minted in Russia. . The first circulation of Bulgarian currency occurred between 1881 and 1952. The valuation of the currency was equivalent to one French franc at first issue . The history of the lev (leva in plural form) is chronicled into four periods. The first period spanned from 1881 to 1952; the second from 1952-1962; the third in 1962-1999; and the fourth from 1999 up to the present.