Bulgaria 5-LEVA (KM39)

Horse, Lion, Dog

That's Krum the Fearsome (Khan of Bulgaria c. 803 to 814) on horseback killing a lion with his dog at his side. Krum would die the same year as the scene on this coin.

The image of a rider killing a lion shows up on later Bulgarian coins, but it is a different scene. The later image is the Madara Rider, based on a cliff carving of events that took place in the period 701 to 801 CE. Perhaps when Krum came along, he had to act out the same scene, as it was expected of leaders at the time. Or, maybe the later image is Krum when he was younger.

This coin was minted in 1930 only.


Diameter
26.1 mm
Composition
Copper-Nickel
Catalogue #
KM39
Obverse Legend
КРУМЪ 814
Reverse Legend
5 ЛЕВА 1930 БЪЛГАРИЯ

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