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On January 1, 2026, Bulgaria will adopt the euro as its official currency, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone. To prepare for this historic transition, the Bulgarian authorities have launched a series of informational and logistical measures. One of the most notable is the advance distribution of starter kits containing euro coins (the so-called Starter Kits ), designed to allow both the public and businesses to familiarize themselves with the new currency before the official changeover. Below, we review the latest developments regarding the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria and, in particular, what these starter kits, which will reach Bulgarians in the coming weeks, consist of.
Final preparations for the adoption of the euro
Following the formal approval in July 2025 of Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone (with an irrevocable conversion rate of €1 = 1.95583 BGN or leva), the country has focused on final preparations for E- Day From August 1, 2025, dual pricing in both leva and euros has been in effect in all shops, a measure that will remain in place until January 2027 to facilitate transparency and prevent price gouging. The euro will officially become legal tender on January 1, 2026 , beginning a one-month period during which the leva and the euro will circulate simultaneously as legal tender. That is, until January 31, 2026, Bulgarians can continue to use their leva banknotes and coins alongside euros; from February 1, 2026, only the euro will be fully legal tender in Bulgaria. In any case, the National Bank of Bulgaria (BNB) will guarantee unlimited free exchange of leva for euros without time limit, even after the dual circulation period ends.
In parallel with these regulatory preparations, since the beginning of November 2025, the country has begun receiving initial supplies of euro cash . The BNB is already stockpiling and distributing the necessary euro banknotes and coins to commercial banks for E-Day , so that institutions can replenish their ATMs and serve their customers from the outset. In fact, Bulgarian banks have offered businesses the option to pre -order euro cash in advance (especially low-denomination banknotes and coins) to ensure they have change available on New Year's Day. Thanks to these measures, the authorities are confident that the monetary transition will proceed smoothly, minimizing tensions such as queues at banks or ATMs in the first days of 2026.
Euro coin starter kits: pre-sale on December 1
A key initiative to accustom the population to the euro is the advance sale of starter kits containing Bulgarian national euro coins. The BNB announced that the sale of these kits will begin on December 1, 2025 , a month before the currency changeover. From that day, any Bulgarian citizen will be able to purchase a pack of the first Bulgarian-designed euro coins, even before the euro becomes legal tender (the coins in the kits cannot be used for payments until January 1, 2026). The aim is both educational and practical: to familiarize the public with the new coins, recognize their values and design, and to ensure that merchants have cash on hand from the very first minute of the New Year. In this way, Bulgaria is following the same path as countries that adopted the euro earlier, putting euros into people's hands before the official transition day
Where can the kits be obtained? Distribution will be through several authorized channels. The National Bank of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Post Office will offer starter kits only to individuals , while commercial banks will sell them to both individuals and businesses. This way, any citizen can go to bank or post office branches, as well as to the central bank itself, to purchase their kit. Businesses and retailers can acquire larger bundles (designed for cash registers) directly through banks. To prevent hoarding by speculators or collectors, a maximum limit of two kits per person per transaction has been established for kits intended for the general public. However, there will be no limit on the number of bundles that businesses can purchase (since their switching needs may vary depending on the size of the business).
The BNB has set the selling price at 20 leva for each starter kit for individuals , and 200 leva for each kit intended for businesses . These amounts are equivalent, at the established conversion rate, to approximately €10.23 and €102.30 respectively. That is, each kit is sold for practically the same nominal value in euros as its contents (just a few cents less due to rounding). The BNB has manufactured enough units to cover the expected demand: around 1 million starter kits have been prepared for the general population and about 20,000 kits for retailers . Given that Bulgaria has about 6.5 million inhabitants, there will be kits available for approximately 1 in 6 citizens, a significant figure that reflects the widespread distribution expected to be achieved with this measure.
Sursa: Youtube Utilizator: Българска народна банка
To publicize this initiative, the Bulgarian authorities have launched information campaigns. The National Bank has even produced a short educational video showing what the new Bulgarian euro coins look like, so the public can learn to identify them. This video, broadcast on national television and social media, allows viewers to see the minted coins and their designs in detail, helping citizens become familiar with the single currency before physically holding it. What do the Starter Kits contain ? Composition and value
Each starter kit for the general public contains a complete assortment of eight euro coin denominations , from 1 cent to 2 euros. In total, there are 42 coins , with a combined value of 10.23 euros , equivalent to 20.01 leva, although for simplicity the retail price was rounded to 20 leva. The kit intended for businesses is ten times larger: 420 mixed coins (10 times the quantity of each denomination in the basic kit) with a total value of 102.30 euros , equivalent to 200.08 leva, sold rounded to 200 leva. The following table details the composition of the Bulgarian starter kits :
Coin Public Kit (42 coins, 10.23 euros) Business Kit (420 coins, 102.30 euros)
The new Bulgarian euro coins feature national symbols on their national side (their own reverse). Following European numismatic tradition, Bulgaria has chosen motifs that reflect its cultural identity and history. Specifically, the €2 coin depicts Saint Paisii of Hilandar (Paisiy Hilendarski), a monk and key figure of the 18th-century Bulgarian National Revival. The €1 coin features Saint Ivan of Rila , patron saint of Bulgaria and a revered figure whose image also appeared on the old 1-lev coins. Meanwhile, the 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1-cent euro coins reproduce the famous Madara Horseman , a medieval Bulgarian relief carved into the rock (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a motif that also adorned the fractional leva coins in circulation. All coins include the 12 EU stars, the inscription "България" in Cyrillic script (the country's name), and the year of issue , 2026. Additionally, a unique feature of Bulgaria is that the edge of the €2 coin is engraved with the phrase "Боже пази България" (Bulgarian for "God protect Bulgaria" ), repeated twice in opposite directions around the edge.
These features were previously approved by the EU Council in February 2024, ensuring they meet common design requirements while highlighting symbols dear to Bulgarians. The first euro coins with the Bulgarian reverse have already been minted in 2025 —partly at the Bulgarian Mint and partly at the Slovak Mint—and have been publicly unveiled on television. Expectations among numismatic collectors are high: both within Bulgaria and abroad, there is interest in acquiring some of these newly issued coins, which will bear the country code “BG” and are the first to incorporate the Cyrillic alphabet in their inscriptions (for example, the word “euro” also appears in Bulgarian: “евро”). Special commemorative editions are even expected to appear soon, given the historical significance of this currency change.
A very special new year for Bulgaria
In short, Bulgaria is preparing to welcome the euro in 2026 with all the necessary guarantees The starter kits , which will go on sale on December 1, 2025, will allow Bulgarians to have their first euros in hand before the end of the year , facilitating a smooth transition and fostering confidence in the new currency. At midnight on January 1, Bulgarians will welcome 2026, toasting not only the New Year but also the definitive arrival of the euro in their pockets. During January, lev and euro banknotes will coexist in their wallets, but gradually the lev will give way to the euro in all everyday transactions. For citizens of Spain and the rest of the eurozone, Bulgaria's adoption of the euro represents the expansion of the single currency area , a milestone reminiscent of the conversions experienced by other countries years ago. Undoubtedly, the Bulgarian case demonstrates once again how advance preparation—whether through information, training, or initiatives like the Starter Kits —is key to a successful currency change for both the economy and the people.
A apărut! Bancnota Euro Brukenthal se găsește la Muzeul Național Brukenthal.
Aceasta a fost tipărită într-un tiraj de 11.000 de exemplare. Bancnota Brukenthal a fost tipărită cu aprobarea Băncii Naționale a Franței și este securizată la standardele impuse de Banca Central Europeană. Alexandru Constantin Chituță a declarat: „În anul 2023 a apărut bancnotă 0 Euro Sibiu. Noi eram deja în discuții cu compania Euro Suvenir Romania pentru editarea unei bancnote Brukenthal. Astăzi 0 Euro Sibiu se găsește de cumpărat în magazinul Palatului Brukenthal din Piața Mare. Bancnotă noastră va avea ca design portalul Palatului Brukenthal și statuia Baronului. Este un produs de suvenir și un cadou foarte inedit. De asemenea, sunt colecționari care doresc să aibă această bancnotă cu valoare de 0 Euro. Pe lângă vinul Brukenthal, vinul SCAF, cafeaua Baronului, ciocolata Brukenthal, parfumul Sophia și Brukenthal și alte produse de brand am dorit din acest an să avem și această bancnotă. Este un produs suvenir care se găsește acum la magazinul Palatului Brukenthal. Mulțumesc domnului Marian Lișman, acționar Euro Suvenir România pentru colaborarea excepțională în realizarea acestei bancnote. Vom reveni cu detalii!” Proiectul bancnotele de 0 EUR a apărut în Franța în anul 2015 și s-a extins ulterior în toate țările europene. A fost conceput cu scopul de a promova elemente de interes național într-o formă unitară la nivelul Uniunii. „Astăzi, bancnotele sunt în toată Uniunea Europeană și se găsesc la toate magazinele, la toate obiectivele turistice mari. De exemplu, la turnul Eiffel, la ultimul etaj, găsim această bancnotă, la Schönbrunn, oriunde mergem găsim această bancnotă. De asemenea și orașele din diferite țări și-au creat o identitate proprie în jurul acestor bancnote. Ce le face atât de speciale? Sunt tipărite cu aprobarea băncii Franței la standardele de securitate impuse de Banca Centrală Europeană și prezintă 14 caracteristici de securitate, similare bancnotelor reale. Și cel mai important sunt tiraje limitate și nici o bancnotă nu este identică cu cealaltă. Spre exemplu, la Sibiu am reușit tipărirea în 2023 a 11.000 de bancnote iar anul acesta același tiraj pentru Bancnota Muzeului Brukenthal. Tirajele sunt stabilite în funcție de apetitul turistic al orașelor, de obicei ”, a declarat Marian Lișman, acționar Euro Suvenir România.
Bancnota Euro Brukenthal se poate achiziționa de astăzi de la magazinul Palatului Brukenthal din Sibiu, la prețul de 30 lei. Se poate comanda prin email la secretariat@brukenthalmuseum.ro.
