First polymer banknote in Europe and in the Northern hemisphere


Presentation leaflet

On the occasion of the Total Eclipse of the Sun (August 11, 1999) and Entering the New Millennium, the National Bank of Romania issued the lei 2,000 note, the first polymer-based note in Europe and in the northern hemisphere. A special series (001A), limited to one million pieces, were marketed in presentation leaflets.

 

Polymer banknote dimensions: 143 x 63 mm

Obverse: the main image is the simplified Solar System; in the down right corner, the window with the metameric filter; on the upper part: Romania's Coat of Arms, the transparent window, name of the issuing central bank "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI" and "BNR" logo; on the lower part: face value in figures and leters "2.000 lei DOUA MII" and above, the year of issue "1999"; on the left, placed vertically, authorized signatures of the Governor and the Chief Cashier, and the simplifed image of the Sun; face value "DOUA MII 2.000" is placed vertically, on the right.
Reverse: in the middle, the map of Romania coloured in red, yellow and blue; on the map, the area and the cities where the eclipse was the most visible; on the upper part, face value "2.000" vertical and horizontal, name of the central bank "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI" and "BNR" logo; under the name of the central bank, the transparent window; on the lower part, on the left, the window with metameric filter; on the right: face value in leters and figures "DOUA MII lei 2.000"; on the right, above the face value, the text "FALSIFICAREA ACESTOR BILETE SE PEDEPSESTE CONFORM LEGILOR" (forgery is punished according to the law) placed horizontally; series and numbers of the banknote are printed in letters and figures with black and red ink, as follows: fonts of the same height printed vertically on the left side with black ink and fonts of ascending height on the right side with red ink.