500 leva 1942
Market Prices
20 salesAbout This Note
A magnificent Bulgarian 500 leva note from 1942 in AU condition, featuring King Boris III in military dress on the obverse and an allegorical female figure on the reverse. This Giesecke & Devrient production displays exceptional preservation with crisp printing, clean margins, and no significant wear, exemplifying the finest quality of wartime Bulgarian currency production during the reign of Boris III.
Common. Despite being a wartime issue, market data from realbanknotes.com shows consistent sales across a wide range of grades, with Fine examples regularly selling for $6-$17 and VF examples for $8-$26. Even PMG-graded specimens in the 65-67 range have sold for $110-$816, indicating healthy supply at multiple condition levels. The note appears to have had a substantial print run and shows no evidence of being scarce or recalled. No rarity premium is warranted.
Issued in 1942 during World War II under the reign of King Boris III, this banknote reflects Bulgaria's complex wartime position and the nation's monetary stability during the conflict. The portrait of King Boris III in military uniform emphasizes the monarchy's authority during this tumultuous period, while the reverse features an allegorical female figure representing the nation or prosperity, common iconography in European banknotes of this era.
The obverse features a portrait of King Boris III in military uniform with a distinctive mustache, positioned in profile facing left within an ornate circular frame. The reverse displays an allegorical female figure (symbolizing Bulgaria or national prosperity) shown in profile facing right, also within an ornate circular frame. Both sides feature elaborate decorative borders with geometric patterns and floral designs in purple, blue, cream, brown, and gold tones. The bilingual text (Bulgarian Cyrillic and French) reflects Bulgaria's European orientation and banking standards of the period. The Bulgarian coat of arms or national emblem appears in the top right corner of the obverse. Complex line engraving work throughout demonstrates the sophisticated security printing employed by the prestigious Leipzig-Berlin firm of Giesecke & Devrient.
Front side: '500' (denomination numerals); 'БЪЛГАРСКАТА NARODНА БАНКА' (Bulgarian National Bank); 'ПРЕДСЕДИТЕЛ' (Under the Chairman); 'ПЕТСТОТИНЗ ЛЕВА' (Five Hundred Leva); 'СОФИЯ-1942 ГОД' (Sofia-1942 Year); Serial number 'A0472107'. Back side: '500' (denomination numerals); 'BANQUE NATIONALE DE BULGARIE' (National Bank of Bulgaria - French); '500 ПЕТСТОТИНЗ ЛЕВА' (500 Five Hundred Leva); 'ЗА ПОДПРАВКА ВИНОВНИХ СЕ НАКАЗВАТЬ СЪГЛАСНО ЧЛ.183 И 191 ОТ НАКАЗАТЕЛНИЯ ЗАКОН' (Counterfeiting is punishable according to Articles 183 and 191 of the Penal Code); 'LEIPZIG - GIESECKE & DEVRIENT - BERLIN' (Printer information).
Intaglio (line engraving) printed by Giesecke & Devrient, Leipzig-Berlin, one of Europe's most renowned security printing firms. The complex line engraving is evident throughout the design, with fine detail work visible in the portraits, decorative borders, and geometric patterns. The multi-color printing with purple, blue, cream, brown, and gold underprints demonstrates advanced color separation techniques characteristic of high-security banknote production of the 1940s era.
This example appears to be Pick-60a (the standard variety cataloged by PMG for this denomination and date). The note displays serial number A0472107 with the standard printer designation 'G&D' visible. No overprints, date variations, or signature varieties are evident that would constitute a separate Pick number. The bilingual design (Bulgarian/French) is standard for this issue.
