Romanian Leu

The Romanian leu stands as a currency of reinvention, where inflation and precision engineering converge into a modern polymer series.

Quick Facts

Country: Romania

Code: RON

Symbol: lei

System: Decimal (1 Leu = 100 Bani)

Status: In circulation

Issuer: National Bank of Romania

The Story of the Romanian Leu

The modern Romanian Leu is inseparable from its dramatic monetary reset in 2005, when 10,000 old lei were replaced by 1 new leu, erasing a period of extreme inflation that had produced denominations as high as 1,000,000 lei—one of the most striking high-value banknotes in modern European numismatics. Yet Romania’s true breakthrough came earlier, in 1999, with the legendary 2,000 lei polymer banknote issued to commemorate a total solar eclipse. Its transparent magenta window serves as a metameric filter for checking a colour-changing image of the sun printed elsewhere on the banknote. This is a banknote security feature, not eye protection for observing the Sun or an eclipse. The post-2005 series continued this innovation, aligning the new leu with European systems while introducing a subtle but remarkable feature: each denomination was printed in the exact size of its euro counterpart, preparing infrastructure and users for a potential euro transition.

Design & Symbolism

Romanian Leu banknotes combine cultural portraiture with technical clarity, depicting figures such as writers, scientists, and national icons alongside botanical elements and architectural landmarks. The use of polymer substrate across the full series enhances durability while enabling advanced features including transparent windows, tactile marks, and precise color layering. A notable modern addition is the 20 lei banknote introduced in 2021, featuring Ecaterina Teodoroiu—Romania’s First World War heroine and the first woman represented on a modern circulating Romanian banknote—adding a powerful historical and thematic dimension to the series.

For collectors

For collectors, the Romanian Leu offers a rare convergence of numismatic milestones: the 1999 solar eclipse polymer note as a European first, the iconic 1,000,000 lei inflation banknote as a symbol of monetary extremes, and the precisely euro-sized modern series as a subtle technical curiosity. Combined with the 2021 Ecaterina Teodoroiu issue, the leu becomes not just a currency, but a layered narrative of innovation, crisis, and forward-looking design within Europe.

The Romanian leu remains the national currency of Romania, aligned with modern European monetary and security practices.

Explore the Romanian Leu Banknotes Collection