Country overview

Polymer overview

General information

Bulgaria SH1 is the first circulating hybrid bank note .

Bulgarian National Bank
Bŭlgarska narodna banka

Bulgarian National Bank Annual reports: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.

Bank notes for sale (additional offers)

Basic varieties of bank notes can be purchased further down this page from the bank notes' tables.

This table shows additional offers:

PIC	REF.	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	BUY
	SH1R1b	20 Leva. Hybrid. Low serial number AA 0000056 (from the first bundle). [P121]	€140.00
	SH1R1c	20 Leva. Hybrid. Low serial number AA 0000980. [P121]	€45.00

Bank notes

The bank note has been presented at a press conference on 14.09.05 and issued on 15.09.05. This bank note uses the Varifeye® security feature. 250,000 notes were printed.

Hybrid bank notes. This particular bank note is printed on a paper substrate with a polymer patch. A polymer patch is applied vertically over a section of a paper note, thus creating a clear window. The polymer patch measures 74 mm (the height of the note) x 16 mm and is cca. 25 microns thick.

Giesecke & Devrient's description of the bank note (page 17 of the GD's 02/05 Report Magazine). BNB's leaflet (2005) describing SH1 bank note. BNB's leaflet (2006) describing bank notes in circulation.

Bulgaria, 20 Leva, issued in 2005. The first Bulgarian commemorative bank note, issued in memory of the first two Bulgarian bank notes of 1885. This is also the world's first hybrid bank note, which is essentially a paper note with a polymer patch and a clear window. Front: Stylised elements from the National Bank building, the Bank's logo and other elements that represent the bank notes of the 1885 issue. Back: A replica of the first Bulgarian 20 Leva bank note of 1885, the old National Bank building, the sculpture image of a seated woman used for the bank notes of 1 and 2 Leva of 1920, and the Coat of Arms of the Principality of Bulgaria.

The BNB releases in circulation the first commemorative bank note (2005)

Transparent window on paper bank notes (2005)