The coin is struck in gold and has a face value of 100 lei

Starting on November 20, 2023, the National Bank of Romania will introduce a gold coin to honor the 200th anniversary of Lascăr Catargiu's birth, in accordance with Law no. 312/2004 on the Statute of the National Bank of Romania. The gold coin has the following characteristics:

The coin is struck in gold and has a face value of 100 lei. It weighs 6.4 grams and has a diameter of 21 mm, report NBR. 

The obverse side of the coin depicts the statue of Lascăr Catargiu in Bucharest, the inscription "ROMANIA" in a circular arc, the Romanian coat of arms, the year of issue "2023" and the denomination "100 LEI". The reverse of the coin shows the portrait and the name of Lascăr Catargiu and the years in which he lived, "1823-1899".

The coins will be packaged in transparent methacrylate capsules and will be accompanied by presentation booklets and certificates of authenticity, in Romanian, English and French, signed by the Governor of the National Bank and the Central Cashier. The maximum mintage for the gold coin is 1,000 pieces.

The selling price of the gold coin is 3,100 lei excluding VAT and includes the presentation brochure and the certificate of authenticity. The coins will be available for collectors in Romania and will be available through the regional branches of the National Bank of Romania in Bucharest, Cluj, Constanța, Dolj, Iași and Timiș.

Further information on purchasing coins can be found on the NBR website, in the Numismatic section.

Who was Lascăr Catargiu 

Lascăr Catargiu was an important Romanian politician and statesman of the 19th century. He was born on 1 November 1823 and died on 11 July 1899. Catargiu played a significant role in the political life of Romania during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza and later.

His notable achievements include the office of Prime Minister of Romania, which he held five times between 1866 and 1891. He was a supporter of conservative principles and was associated with the Conservative Party. He made important contributions to the modernization of the Romanian state and the establishment of a more efficient administrative and legislative structure.

Lascăr Catargiu was also an advocate and supporter of education. His contributions to the development of Romanian society have ensured that his name remains in the collective memory, and the launch of the gold coin by the National Bank of Romania in 2023 marked the 200th anniversary of his birth.