site.btaEU Council Green-lights Bulgarian Euro Coins Design

In early February, the Council of the European Union approved the design of the national side of the Bulgarian euro coins, the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said in a press release.

The design reproduces symbols depicted on current Bulgarian currency coins:

• Madara Horseman - on 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cent coins;
• St. Ivan of Rila - on the 1 euro coin;
• Paisii of Hilandar – on the 3 euro coin

BNB Deputy Governor Andrey Gyurov, who is in charge of BNB's Issue Department, told BTA that this is another step in Bulgaria's process of joining the euro area. Having the European Council’s approval, BNB will be able to produce quantity of up to one million pieces for each denomination (1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 euro cents and 1 euro and 2 euro). BNB is already implementing the test production programme, which includes various stages. The stage of securing blanks for the euro coins has already been passed and those have been ordered. Now the blanks are to arrive at the BNB Mint and the coin production can start, Gyurov explained.

"Once thе test circulations are produced, the euro coins must be certified by the European Central Bank. Obtaining such a certificate will mean that BNB can proceed with the production of the rest of the euro coins," Gyurov said.

Once Bulgaria is officially approved to join the euro area, some 800 million euro coins will be produced.