site.btaSale of Euro Coin Starter Kits to Citizens, Businesses Begins across Bulgaria

As of Monday, starter kits with euro coins bearing the Bulgarian national side are on sale. Citizens can purchase them from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) and commercial banks, while businesses can obtain euro coins only from banks. Starter kits with euro coins will be sold until December 31, a day before the euro's introduction in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian euro coins cannot be put into circulation until January 1, 2026, when they will become legal tender in Bulgaria.

When selling starter kits, the identity of the recipient - a natural person or a representative of the merchant - shall be established, and no VAT shall be charged on the sale of a starter kit with euro coins at face value.

The starter kit with euro coins for individuals consists of 42 euro coins of all denominations with a total value of EUR 10.23 and is solf at a price of BGN 20 per kit. A natural person may purchase up to two starter kits per transaction.

The starter kit for merchants includes 420 euro coins of all denominations with a total value of EUR 102.30 and is sold for BGN 200 per kit.

The coin's design

The EUR 2 coin depicts Paisii Hilendarski (1722 - c. 1773) - Bulgarian national revivalist and clergyman, author of the first Renaissance work in Bulgarian historiography, Slav-Bulgarian History. The country of issue, BULGARIA, is inscribed in Cyrillic on the right. To the left of the image of Paisii are the Cyrillic inscription of EURO and the year of issue, 2026. The inscriptions on the edge of the coin read GOD PROTECT BULGARIA and the same in reverse.

The EUR 1 coin depicts St. Ivan Rilski (c. 876 - 9460), a Bulgarian spiritual leader who lived as a hermit monk, miracle worker and heavenly protector of the Bulgarian people, founder of the Rila Monastery. On the right side of the image of the saint is the inscription in Cyrillic SAINT IVAN RILSKI. The country of issue is inscribed in Cyrillic on the right, and to the left of the saint's image are the Cyrillic inscription EURO and the year of issue, 2026.

The EUR 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 coins feature the Madara Horseman, an 8th-century rock relief included in the World Cultural Heritage List. Above, in Cyrillic, is the country of issue and below, the Bulgarian word for coins in Cyrillic, STOTINKI. To the right is the year of issue, 2026.