KM# 57
Value: 250 lei
Years: 1939, 1940
Material: Silver 83,5%, Copper 16,5%
Weight: 12 g
Diameter: 30 mm
Edge: Lettered "+ MUNCA + CREDINTA + REGE + NATIUNE" meaning "WORK FAITH KING NATION".
Orientation: Coin
Mint: Bucharest, Romania
Engraver: Haralamb Ionescu
Mintage: 10.000.000 - year 1939
8.000.000 - year 1940
Variants: The coin from 1940 also has an extremely rare variant, with the effigy of King Mihai I on the reverse and with the year written in the form 1940. In fact, the sign of the Legionary Movement caused these coins to be melted, without being put into circulation. It is said that the coin engraver (Haralamb Ionescu) struck in 1945 a second batch of only 10-12 coins, that he numbered above the year.
Observation: - The words in the incuse inscription on the edge are separated by 4 crosses: 2 crosses placed in a square (before the words MUNCA and REGE) and 2 Maltese crosses (before the words CREDINTA and NATIUNE).
- The obverse of this coin seems identical to that of the coin of 250 lei 1941 (KM#59), they are different. The wheat leaf near digit 2 in 250 is straight on the 1939/1940 coins (KM#57), or bent on the 1941 coins (KM#59).
Obverse: Romanian coat of arms, denomination "250 LEI", year 1939/1940; wreath made from grapevine with leaves and clusters and wheat ears.
Reverse: CAROL II head facing right, inscription "CAROL II REGELE ROMANILOR" meaning "KING OF THE ROMANIANS". Under the neck lies H. IONESCU, the engraver's name.
