4335) "Electric Trams", Bulgaria: 125th Anniversary of Electric Trams (1901-2026): First 10 Euro Silver Proof Commemorative Coin issued by the Bulgarian National Bank ("БЪЛГАРСКА НАРОДНА БАНКА") to celebrate this milestone: Date/Year of Coin issue: 26.01.2026:
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has issued a 10 Euro denominated Silver Proof Coin commemorating this transport milestone.
The first commemorative coins for 2026 are also the first to be denominated in Euro since the country’s transition from the Lev to the single currency on the 1st January of this year have been issued by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).
On 14.01.1901 the country’s first electric tram ran in the capital of Sofia.
During a launch ceremony in the presence of the city’s mayor the first Tram plied on its route from the central railway station through the Lions’ Bridge to the Slaveykov Square.
The entire journey took an impressive forty minutes at that time and the emergence of electric trams on Sofia streets was associated with the economic development of the city.
The first trams were green in colour, comprising 24 railcars and trailers delivered from Belgium.
They were small in size but with open platforms and decoratively fenced with metal grilles for safety.
The cabins were divided into first class with velvet seats and second class with wooden benches.
Initially, the service ran on six routes on a single rail track, with a total length of 23 kilometres or, 14 miles and passing loops at key points.
As the system was an entirely new transport concept, there were no designated stops, the tram would stop at passengers’ signal and the conductor would walk along a special outer ledge on the tram car.
The ticket price was based upon distance and travel time, passengers would pay about 15 stotinki for a first class seat or 10 stotinki for second class.
That year, Sofia became one of the first ten European capitals with an electrified public transport system.
The electric tram itself became a symbol of national pride, modernisation and progress in a newly independent Bulgaria, sparking interest and curiosity among city’s residents and visitors.
As the new electric vehicles replaced horse-drawn omnibuses, it was now possible to travel to some outlying villages which were not yet districts of Sofia. An important location for the new city railway network was the City Garden, surrounded on all sides by tram lines.
In 1900, a trams depot was first built and which operated until 1928, serving not only as a vehicle shed but also as a service and repair station.
Present Day:
Today, Sofia's tram service remains a key public transport network featuring 17 lines covering 154 kilometres or 95 miles, making it the largest system in the Balkans.
The service offers extensive coverage of the city centre and major neighbourhoods with modern, air-conditioned trams alongside vintage cars, using dedicated tracks that contribute to less traffic on the city’s streets.
The Coin:
Designed by Svetlin Balezdrov, the Reverse of the 10 Euro Silver Proof Coin features a detailed image of the first tram cars, highlighting the platforms on the front and rear with curtains decorating the windows.
Above the design and along the upper periphery is the inscription “ЕЛЕКТРИЧЕСКИ ТРАМВАЙ” (“Electric Trams”) along with the stylised numeral "125" and the text - "ГОДИНИ" ("years").
Below the tram car is the commemorative year "1901" and along the lower periphery is a continuation of the commemorative text “В БЪЛГАРИЯ” (“in Bulgaria”).
The Obverse of the 10 Euro Silver Proof Coin includes the image of a vintage city streetlamp with its decorative ironwork centred.
To the left is the emblem of the Bulgarian national Bank and to the right, the new denomination "10 ЕВРО" ("Euro").
The text "БЪЛГАРСКА НАРОДНА БАНКА" ("Bulgarian National Bank") is placed along the upper periphery above the primary design.
The specifications of this Coin are:
Denomination Metal Weight Diameter Quality Mintage Limit
10 Euro .999 Silver 23.3 g. 38.6 mm. Proof 5000 pieces
- - Available from the 26th January, each coin is encapsulated and presented in a case accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
Links:
1) 100 Levs Banknote from Bulgaria wins the prestigious Regional Banknote of the Year Award - 2019
Links on posts about the Republic of Macedonia:
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"A VERY informative post Thanks for sharing".
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
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