Two thousand lei
| (Romania) | |
|---|---|
| Value | Romanian leu |
| Width | 142 mm |
| Height | 62 mm |
| Security features | Transparent window, printed thread, shadow image (BNR), window filter, transmission hologram |
| Material used | Polymer (plastic) |
| Years of printing | 1999 |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | Solar System |
| Designer | Nicolae Săftoiu |
| Design date | 1999 |
| Reverse | |
 | |
| Design | 1999 solar eclipse over Romania |
| Designer | Nicolae Săftoiu |
| Design date | 1999 |
In celebration of the total solar eclipse of August 11, 1999, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) decided to issue a commemorative two thousand Romanian lei banknote. This was the last solar eclipse of the millennium and was visible across southern Romania.[1] Since it was the last eclipse of the millennium, the denomination was chosen to be 2000 in respect to the upcoming year. These notes were issued as legal tender.
Design
[edit]The banknote was designed by the Romanian artist Nicolae Săftoiu, who is credited with the designs on which all Romanian banknotes printed since the 1989 Revolution are based.[2] In observance of the coming millennium, the obverse of the note displays a rendering of the Solar System viewed from afar, showing all of the planets revolving around the Sun.[3]
The reverse of the note displays a map outline of Romania with the colors schemed to match the colors of the Romanian flag. The map marks the main points where the solar eclipse was visible in a path moving along the map from west to east.[3]
The notes were printed using offset printing, a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then finally onto the printing surface.[citation needed]
Main security features
[edit]Security features include:
- Transparent window - special in specifically polymer notes. It is an open, clear and plastic window in the note which is hard to counterfeit.
- Shadow image - includes the BNR logo. This image can be seen when the banknote is held to the light (a chemical is used to opacify the polymer for the design).
- See-through registration - optical see-through image on each side of the note to make sure it was not printed using a counterfeit, in which case it would not match and align
- Printed thread - a black thread that can be seen when the note is held up to the light.[citation needed]
- Transmission hologram - The transparent window includes a transmission hologram depicting the Moon eclipsing the Sun.
Commemorative folder
[edit]In order to generate interest with currency collectors, the BNR also issued special commemorative folders with the banknotes. These were limited to 1 million pieces and each one contained a special, low-numbered banknote with the series001A.[citation needed]
History
[edit] 
| |
| Obverse | Reverse |
| 1941 2000 lei issue | |
 
| |
| Obverse | Reverse |
| 1943–1945 2000 lei issue | |
References
[edit]- ^ "Jacob Lewis." Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ^ Ioana Moldoveanu, "The Money Maker", Vivid, 18 August 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2009
- ^ a b "ROMANIAN BANKNOTE WITH SOLAR SYSTEM AND SUN ECLIPSE SCHEME". Wydział Geologii Uniwersytet Warszawski. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
 Romanian currency and coinage | |
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| Topics | |
| Coinage | |
| Banknotes | |
| Former banknotes | |
| Former coinage | |