Type details
| Country | Romania |
| Currency | ROL |
| Denomination | 2000 |
| Series | Eclipse series |
| Series year | 1999 |
| Series range | 1999–2005 |
| Issue year | 1999 |
| Issuer | Banca Naţională a României |
| Issuer (native) | BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI |
| Front portrait | Mihai Eminescu |
| Reverse subject | Total solar eclipse |
| Themes | writer, science, commemorative |
| Watermark | Portrait of Mihai Eminescu in clear field |
| Security features | hologram, see_through_register, optically_variable_ink, microprint, uv, foil_patch |
| Colour palette | #87ceeb,#ffd700,#8b4513 |
| Material | polymer |
| Dimensions (mm) | 140x70 |
| Language / script | Latin |
| Languages | ro |
| Pick # | P-111 |
| Rarity | common |
| Legal status | demonetized |
| Legal status date | 2005-07-01 |
| Successor currency | Romanian Leu (RON) |
| Era | 1990_present |
| Default value (low) | 5.0 |
| Default value (high) | 15.0 |
| Value currency | USD |
Front
Total solar eclipse of August 11, 1999, visible across Romania; the note was issued to commemorate this rare astronomical event. The design shows a stylized representation of the eclipse with planets of the solar system (labeled 'ECLIPSA TOTALA DE SOARE' — 'Total Solar Eclipse'), orbital paths radiating from a central black disc representing the eclipsed sun. Romania lay in the path of totality, making this a significant national event; the note's innovative polymer design and astronomical theme marked a departure from traditional portrait-focused banknote design. Text 'AUGUST 1999' appears in the design field, referencing the month of the eclipse.
Back
Mihai Eminescu (1850–1889), Romania's national poet and a leading Romantic writer; he is considered the foremost figure in Romanian literature and his work profoundly shaped Romanian national identity. The portrait shows Eminescu in formal 19th-century attire with a bow tie. Accompanying the portrait is a quill pen and wheat ear symbolizing literature and the agricultural imagery present in his poetry; the BNR monogram appears in the design field. Eminescu's legacy as Romania's greatest poet makes him among the most honoured cultural figures on Romanian currency.
History
This 2000 lei polymer note was issued by Banca Naţională a României in 1999 as part of the 'Eclipse series' commemorating the total solar eclipse of August 11, 1999, which crossed Romania. The series represents a unique moment in Romanian numismatics when the note's primary subject is an astronomical event rather than a historical figure, though Eminescu appears on the reverse. The note was printed on polymer substrate with advanced security features including a holographic foil patch showing the eclipse. Date '1999' is printed on the front alongside 'AUGUST 1999' within the eclipse design; the back shows '1998' near the denomination, likely indicating design preparation date. The series remained in circulation until July 1, 2005, when Romania redenominated its currency at 10,000 old lei = 1 new leu (RON), removing four zeros. This note is documented as Pick #111 in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.
Linked specimens (1)
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