What’s really weird is there’s no mention of these new 50 bani coins on the official website of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), the ones who issued it. I had to dig up an old news story (Ro) to even learn that these are indeed valid currency.
I, for one, am darn glad to see these things in circulation. A few years ago, the United States did something similar. Besides just the aesthetic appeal of having new coins to look at, it’s actually a brilliant way to increase government revenue at zero pain or suffering to the public.
How? Well even though there’s a million of these new 50 bani coins out there, a few people are going to “collect” them, i.e. keep them at home and never spend them. Each coin kept and not spent is, in effect, a 50 bani gift to the Romanian government. One coin collected and not spent certainly isn’t a lot but every little bit helps, eh? And the best part is that nobody is forced to collect these coins. The only ones kept out of circulation are the ones people volunteer to keep.
I sure hope BNR decides to make more commemorative coins. It’ll be a fun project and it could raise money to pay a few doctor’s and teacher’s salaries as well.
PS – If you’re fairly new to my blog, you might enjoy my little video featuring two Romanian “gangsters”, 50 de Bani and Ursuletul de Aur :)