One leu

One leu

(Romania)
Value	1 Romanian leu
Width	120 mm
Height	62 mm
Security features	watermark, security thread, transparent window, microprinting, blacklight printing, EURion constellation
Paper type	polymer
Years of printing	since 2005
Obverse
Design	prof. Nicolae Iorga, Milkweed gentian
Designer	National Bank of Romania
Design date	2005
Reverse
Design	Curtea de Argeş Cathedral, the Wallachian eagle
Designer	National Bank of Romania
Design date	2005

The current one leu banknote is the smallest circulating denomination of the Romanian leu. It is the same size as the 5 Euro banknote.

The main color of the current banknote is green. It pictures, on the obverse Prime-minister and historian Nicolae Iorga, and on the reverse the Curtea de Argeş Cathedral, which suffered a massive restoration under his Government, and a crossed eagle, the Wallachian traditional heraldic element.

History

In the past, the denomination was also in the coin form, as follows:

First leu (1867-1947)

• coin issues: 1870, 1873 (re-issues: 1874, 1876), 1881, 1884 (re-issue: 1885), 1894 (re-issues: 1900, 1901), 1906 (gold, celebration issue), 1910 (re-issues: 1911, 1912, 1914)
• banknote issue: 1915 (re-issues: 1920, 1937, 1938), 1917 (issued by the Romanian General Bank and circulated in the German occupation area between 1917-1918)
• coin issue: 1924
• banknote re-issue: 1938 (re-issue of the 1915 design)
• coin issue: 1938 (re-issues: 1939, 1940, 1941)
• banknote issue: 1941 (issued by INFINEX and circulated in Romanian administrated Transnistria between 1941-1944)

Second leu (1947-1952)

• coin issues: 1947, 1949 (re-issues: 1950, 1951)

Third leu - ROL(1952-2005)

• banknote issue: 1952
• coin issue: 1963
• banknote issue: 1966
• coin issues: 1966 (actually minted in 1967, re-issue of the 1963 design), 1992, 1993 (re-issues: 1994, 1995, 1996)

Fourth leu - RON (since 2005)

• banknote issue: 2005 (redesigned issue of the former 10.000 lei banknote, whereas 10.000 third lei = 1 fourth leu)

Obverse	Reverse
17 July 1920 1 leu issue

Obverse	Reverse
1952 1 leu issue

Obverse	Reverse
1966 1 leu issue

References

National Bank of Romania website

Romanian currency and coinage
Topics	History of coins in Romania Leu Commemorative coins Coins of the Romanian leu Banknotes of the Romanian leu National Bank of Romania Governor State Mint
Coinage	1 b 5 b 10 b 50 b
Banknotes	1 L 5 L 10 L 50 L 100 L 200 L 500 L
Former banknotes	10 b 25 b 50 b 2 L 3 L 25 L 1,000 L 2,000 L 5,000 L 10,000 L 50,000 L 100,000 L 500,000 L 1,000,000 L 5,000,000 L
Former coinage	3 b 15 b 20 b 25 b 1 L 2 L 3 L 5 L 10 L 20 L 50 L 100 L 200 L 250 L 500 L 1,000 L 2,000 L 5,000 L 10,000 L 25,000 L 100,000 L