The current one leu banknote is the smallest circulating denomination af the Romanian leu. It is the same size es the 5 Euro banknote.

One leu
(Romania)
Value1 Romanian leu
Width120 mm
Height62 mm
Security featureswatermark, security thread, transparent window, microprinting, blacklight printing, EURion constellation
Material usedpolymer
Years of printingsince 2005
Obverse
Designprof. Nicolae Iorga, Milkweed gentian
DesignerNational Bank of Romania
Design date2005
Reverse
DesignCurtea de Argeş Cathedral, the Wallachian eagle
DesignerNational Bank of Romania
Design date2005

The main color of the current banknote is green. It pictures, on the obverse Prime-minister and historian Nicolae Iorga, and on the reverse the Curtea de Argeş Cathedral, which suffered a massive restoration under his Government, and a crossed eagle, the Wallachian traditional heraldic element.

History

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In the past, the denomination was also in the coin form, as follows:

First leu (1867-1947)

  • coin issues: 1870, 1873 (re-issues: 1874, 1876), 1881, 1884 (re-issue: 1885), 1894 (re-issues: 1900, 1901), 1906 (gold, celebration issue), 1910 (re-issues: 1911, 1912, 1914)
  • banknote issue: 1915 (re-issues: 1920, 1937, 1938), 1917 (issued by the Romanian General Bank and circulated in the German occupation area between 1917-1918)
  • coin issue: 1924
  • banknote re-issue: 1938 (re-issue of the 1915 design)
  • coin issue: 1938 (re-issues: 1939, 1940, 1941)
  • banknote issue: 1941 (issued by INFINEX and circulated in Romanian administrated Transnistria between 1941-1944)

Second leu (1947-1952)

  • coin issues: 1947, 1949 (re-issues: 1950, 1951)

Third leu - ROL(1952-2005)

  • banknote issue: 1952
  • coin issue: 1963
  • banknote issue: 1966
  • coin issues: 1966 (actually minted in 1967, re-issue of the 1963 design), 1992, 1993 (re-issues: 1994, 1995, 1996)

Fourth leu - RON (since 2005)

  • banknote issue: 2005 (redesigned issue of the former 10.000 lei banknote, whereas 10.000 third lei = 1 fourth leu)
  
Obverse Reverse
17 July 1920 1 leu issue
  
Obverse Reverse
1952 1 leu issue
  
Obverse Reverse
1966 1 leu issue

References

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National Bank of Romania website