Bulgaria Prepares to Melt Over 10,500 Tons of Old Lev Coins

Bulgaria is moving forward with the transition to the euro, preparing to produce its first euro banknotes under the quota assigned by the European Central Bank. The initial batch of euro notes entered circulation at the start of 2026, supplied through the Eurosystem, according to Iliya Lingorski, member of the Governing Council of the Bulgarian National Bank.

At the same time, the Bulgarian National Bank plans to melt down the old lev coins as scrap. The total volume of coins withdrawn from circulation is substantial, exceeding 10,527 tons. By the end of January, over 3.3 billion coins of various denominations had been collected from circulation.

Lingorski emphasized that there is no rush for those who still hold lev coins. Commercial banks will continue to exchange them free of charge until the end of June 2026. After that, the Bulgarian National Bank will provide unlimited, free-of-charge exchanges indefinitely. “Even if someone discovers lev coins after a decade, the Bulgarian National Bank will still exchange them at no cost,” he assured.