Demonetized?

Are they not going to give a year or at least a few months to redeem these?

From 1 January 2026, the exchange of levs for euro will be conducted at the official conversion rate of 1.95583 BGN for 1 EUR.

The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange levs for euro free of charge, in unlimited quantities and without any time limit, both on its premises and at the Cash Services Company AD territorial offices, at the addresses below…

So the coins have not been demonetized, although they have ceased to be legal tender.

So the coins have not been demonetized, although they have ceased to be legal tender.

Isn't this the same thing?

Numista has added a start of issue date so there should also be an end of issue or withdrawal date.

The date where you can no longer exchange it for current money (ceases to have any monetary value and becomes solely a collectible) should be what at the moment is the Demonetisation date.

But my question is, shouldn't their government allow ample time to exchange it, rather than demonetizing it in a month?

thegamesbond

 

Are they not going to give a year or at least a few months to redeem these?

“without any time limit, both on its premises and at the Cash Services Company AD territorial offices, at the addresses below”

That's more than you are asking for. Place - Lahore, Pakistan. You can still catch a plane and get to Bulgaria to exchange all that stuff you stockpiled. You are arguing about decisions made by sovereign country about their monetary policies. They did not outright cancel all that money.

Because, if I recall correctly, you can still exchange German Marks for Euro.

thegamesbond

 

Because, if I recall correctly, you can still exchange German Marks for Euro.

As per https://www.bundesbank.de/en/tasks/cash-management/dem-banknotes-and-dem-coins/-/exchanging-dem-for-euro-616928

“The exchange from DEM to Euro is possible indefinitely and free of charge at the branches of Deutsche Bundesbank and by mail via the Mainz branch.”

What is your complain about Bulgarian decision, if Germans did same thing? They do not do that by post to avoid unnecessary costs and possible money laundering issues.

thegamesbond

So the coins have not been demonetized, although they have ceased to be legal tender.

 

Isn't this the same thing?

No. Legal tender means the notes and coins are valid for payments. Leva are no longer legal tender and only euro should be accepted as payment now. However, as the BNB will still exchange leva for euro, the leva are not demonetized.

Here you go;

https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/euro/exchanging-national-currency_en .

Aidan.

The only dates that matter in this case are those set by the ECB and the Bulgarian National Bank. Don't take these Numista dates so seriously. I have seen several coins listed here that are supposedly demonetised way before they were even minted!