50 stotinki BULGARIA (2007) European Union - Preslav

in the coin centre an opened book with first letters of Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet: АБВГ (ABVG); in the background a column from ruins of Preslav fortress; along the left edge: БЪЛГАРИЯ В ЕС (ЕС - Европейския Съюз - Bulgaria in the European Union); along the rest of the edge 12 five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union

in the coin centre large face value: 50; below year of issue: 2007; along the bottom edge: СТОТИНКИ (stotinki); along the top edge 12 five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union

reeded

2007

still circulating

Богомил Николов, Петър Стойков, Владимир Йосифов
(Bogomil Nikolov, Petar Stoikov, Vladimir Yossifov)

Монетен двор (The Mint), Sofia

2007

500 000

Bulgaria joined the European Union on January 1, 2007. This coin commemorates this event.

Preslav (since 1993 Veliki Preslav - Велики Преслав) was the capital of Bulgaria between 894 and the attack by the Byzantine Empire in 972. The attack left the town in ruins, but until then Preslav was a very large centre for science and literacy. The Preslav Literary School is believed to be third oldest university in the world. This school educated many important Bulgarian writers and scientists. It was the centre of poetry, painting, pottery and translations. It played probably a huge role in creating and promoting a Cyrillic alphabet, because the oldest texts written in cyryllics (dated to 943) were found in the vicinity of Preslav.

The only complete Corynthian column standing in the ruins of Preslav fortress.


photo: Izvora; licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0