Romania 20 Lei banknote 1877 Bilet Hypothecar
A rare note from the first series of Romania
Obverse: Allegory of the Union of Roman Empire and Dacia: Legionary soldier of the Roman Empire wearing lorica segmentata shaking hands with allegorical female, holding a palm branch in her hand (personification of Dacia). In the background, the Emperor Trajan, wearing lorica musculata (cuirass) and paludamentum (short military cloak) and Trajan's Bridge over the Danube. In the background of allegory, Tropaeum Traiani, the Roman symbol of victory, adorned with the arms and armor of the vanquished. The whole scene is placed on a podium with inscription "ROMANIA". In the same plane with this podium, to the right of the note is shown a coat of arms of Romania supporting an oval shield decorated with volutes and garlands at the bottom. On the top of shield sits an eagle with open wings holds a medallion surrounded by weaponry like banners, cannon and drums.
Reverse: In the center, an altar placed on a high podium, which is flanked by a flower bush to the right and left, of a vine with fruit at the bottom. At the top, a segmented pediment oval cartridge number 20. Above, on a trapezoidal a basket with flowers. On the left, filigree medallion with the effigy of the Emperor Trajan, winner right. On the right, two peasant women wearing shoulder agricultural tools. The whole composition is flanked on three sides by a richly decorated à rinceaux rod, interrupted at the top left and right two circumscribed palmettes, decorated with volutes, and the center medallion R. The coat of arms of Romania disposed radially towards the center, in an oval cartouche decorated with volutes and palmettes at left and right corner. At the top, hanging garland, left and right basket with flowers, two medallions that have entered the number 20.
Watermark: Emperor Trajan (emperor wearing a wreath of laurel leaves tied in the back with the ends of the ribbon hanging down behind)
Romania banknotes - Romania paper money
Treasury - Tesaurul
Leu System
1877 "Bilet Hypothecar" Issue
5 Lei 10 Lei 20 Lei 50 Lei 100 Lei 500 Lei
Trajan (Latin: Imperator Caesar Nerva Traianus Divi Nervae filius Augustus; September 18, 53 – August 8, 117 AD) was Roman emperor from 98 AD until his death in 117 AD. Officially declared by the Senate as optimus princeps ("the best ruler"), Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over the greatest military expansion in Roman history, leading the empire to attain its maximum territorial extent by the time of his death. He is also known for his philanthropic rule, overseeing extensive public building programs and implementing social welfare policies, which earned him his enduring reputation as the second of the Five Good Emperors who presided over an era of peace and prosperity in the Mediterranean world.
Trajan's Bridge (Romanian: Podul lui Traian ) or Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first to be built over the lower Danube. Though it was only functional for a few decades, for more than 1,000 years it was the longest arch bridge in both total and span length.
The bridge was constructed in 105 AD by Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus for the deployment of Roman troops in the war against Dacia.