1286) "Kukeri" (or "Survakari") Festival, Bulgaria: A Commemorative Silver Coin of 10 Leva issued by the Bulgarian Mint on behalf of the National Bank of Bulgaria: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

1286) "Kukeri" (or "Survakari") Festival, Bulgaria: A Commemorative Silver Coin of 10 Leva issued by the Bulgarian Mint on behalf of the National Bank of Bulgaria: Year of Coin issue: 2020:

The Bulgarian National Bank has issued new Silver Proof Collector Coins titled -"Bulgarian Traditions and Customs", which feature a most unusual custom - "Kukeri" (or occasionally "Survakari").

The Reverse of the 10 Leva Silver Proof Coin placed against a backdrop of a masked Kukeri dancer

Uniquely Bulgarian by custom and practice, Bulgaria's masked good-spirited play-acting has its origins to the pre-nuptial rites practiced by the ancient Thracians.

In most parts of Bulgaria, this ancient custom is called "Kukeri" (or occasionally "Survakari"), with most Kukeri pageants falling on feast days between Christmas and Easter.

In the days of old, these pageants included only unmarried men dressed as maidens or else donning animal skins as fertility symbols. Masked young men, with a string of bells slung from cummerbunds, would tour villages summoning everyone to the village square. "Survakari" would then perform ritual weddings, while "Kukeri" would mimic ritual field tilling, synonymous with fertility, and welcoming many children after marriage. 

Costumes differ across Bulgarian ethnographic regions, but the costumes in Western regions usually resemble animals, those further East being more androgynous. Each mask is nevertheless unique, only limited by its maker's imagination. Masks and costumes often resemble phantasmagorical creatures with poking fangs, horns, tails or beaks.

The traditional costumes are made of sheep and goat skins,  feathers, horns, leaves, wool and other natural materials. As with any living tradition, "Kukeri" pageants are evolving to include new memes and imagery that now broaden the circle of participant's gender and age. 

Presently, the pageants are cheerful feasts of folk craft and traditional trades marking the end of winter, the awakening of nature and the revival of life. Annual "Kukeri" rites and festivals are staged at several international masked play-acting festivals. Notably, in Bulgaria there is the "Surva", hosted by the town of Pernik since 1966, and the "Kukerlandia" in Yambol.

The Commemorative Coin:

The Commemorative Coin has been minted by the Bulgarian National Mint at its facilities in Sofia on behalf of the Bulgarian National Bank.

The Reverse of the 10 Leva Silver Proof Coin presents an excellent glimpse into the world and the tradition of "Kukeri" with the depiction of three participants in the dance. 

The  peripheral inscriptions in Bulgarian read - "KUKERI" (on the upper periphery) and "BULGARIAN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS" (on the lower periphery).

The Obverse of the 10 Leva Silver Proof Coin depicts the Bulgarian National Bank logo with the year "1879" in the centre, with the name of the issuer "BULGARIAN NATIONAL BANK" (on the upper periphery), with the year of issue - "2020" and the denomination of the coin in numerals - "10 LEVA" (on the lower periphery).

The specifications of this Silver Coin are:

Denomination: 10 Leva; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 23.3 grams; Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 3,000 pieces; Mint: Bulgarian Mint on behalf of the National Bank of Bulgaria; Certificate of Authenticity: The encapsulated coin is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity; Designer: Vanya Dimitrova-Hadjigaeva; Year: 2020.




Links on other posts on Bulgarian issues on this blog:

1) 100 Levs Banknote from Bulgaria wins the prestigious Regional Banknote of the Year Award - 2019

2) Tsar Ivan Asen II, Bulgaria: Fifth Coin in the "Medieval Bulgarian Rulers Coin Series": A 10 Lev Silver Coin minted by the Mint of Bulgaria on behalf of and issued by the Bulgarian on behalf of and issued by the Bulgarian National Bank on 17.09.2018