The leu is the currency

Currency

In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...

 of Moldova

Moldova

Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...

. Like the Romanian leu

Romanian leu

The leu is the currency of Romania. It is subdivided into 100 bani . The name of the currency means "lion". On 1 July 2005, Romania underwent a currency reform, switching from the previous leu to a new leu . 1 RON is equal to 10,000 ROL...

, the Moldovan leu (pl. lei) is subdivided into 100 bani (singular: ban). The name of the currency originates in Romania and means "lion".

History

Between 1918 and 1940 and again between 1941 and 1944, when Moldova was part of Romania, the Romanian leu was used also in the eastern part of Moldavia

Moldavia

Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...

. The Moldovan leu was established on 29 November 1993, following the collapse of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

 and the creation of the independent republic of Moldova

Moldova

Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...

. It replaced the older cupon

Moldovan cupon

The cupon was the temporary currency of Moldova between 1992 and 1993. It replaced the Soviet ruble at par and was replaced by the leu at a rate of 1 leu = 1000 cupon. Notes issued included 50, 200, 1000, and 5000 cupon. No coins were issued....

 currency at a rate of 1 leu = 1000 cupon.

In Transnistria

Transnistria

Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...

, a partially recognized state claimed in whole by Moldova, the Transnistrian ruble

Transnistrian ruble

The ruble is the official currency of Transnistria. It is divided into 100 kopecks. Since Transnistria is a state with limited international recognition, its currency has no ISO 4217 code. However, unofficially some Transnistrian organisations such as Agroprombank and Gazprombank used the code PRB...

 is used instead.

Coins

Coins consist of 1, 5, 10, and 25 bani in aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

 and 50 bani in aluminium-bronze

Bronze

Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...

. Aluminium 50 bani, and nickel-plated-steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...

 1 and 5 leu coins were issued in 1993 but have been withdrawn from circulation.

Banknotes

There have been two series of Moldovan leu banknotes. The first series was short-lived and only included 1, 5, and 10 lei.

Second Series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main Colour	Description			Date of
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	first printing	issue
		1 leu	114 × 58 mm	Yellow	Stephen III Stephen III of Moldavia Stephen III of Moldavia was Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504 and the most prominent representative of the House of Mușat.During his reign, he strengthened Moldavia and maintained its independence against the ambitions of Hungary, Poland, and the...	Mănăstirea Căpriana	As portrait	1994	May 1994
		5 lei		Cyan		Biserica sf. Dumitru din Orhei			April 1994
		10 lei	121 × 61 mm	Red		Mănăstirea Hârjauca			May 1994
		20 lei		Green		Cetatea Soroca		1992	November 1993
		50 lei		Pink		Mănăstirea Hârbovăţ			May 1994
		100 lei		Orange		Cetatea Tighina			September 1995
		200 lei	133 × 66 mm	Purple		Chişinău Chisinau Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...  Mayoralty
		500 lei		Orange and green		Chişinău Cathedral			December 1999
		1000 lei		Blue		Presidency building			October 2003

• On the front side of each banknote only one man is represented - the best-known ruler of Moldavia - Ştefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great)
  Stephen III of Moldavia
  Stephen III of Moldavia was Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504 and the most prominent representative of the House of Mușat.During his reign, he strengthened Moldavia and maintained its independence against the ambitions of Hungary, Poland, and the...
  
  .
• The first two lines of the Mioriţa ballad are written in the white circle on the front side of each banknote.
• On the back side of all the banknotes there are depicted Trajan's Column
  Trajan's Column
  Trajan's Column is a Roman triumphal column in Rome, Italy, which commemorates Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars. It was probably constructed under the supervision of the architect Apollodorus of Damascus at the order of the Roman Senate. It is located in Trajan's Forum, built near...
  
   and The Endless Column.

See also

• Economy of Moldova
  Economy of Moldova
  Moldova is the second smallest of the former Soviet republics and the most densely populated. Industry accounts for only 20% of its labor force, while agriculture's share is more than one-third. It remains the poorest country in Europe. It is landlocked, bounded by Ukraine on the east and Romania...