Characteristics of 1 leu 1884 coin:
1) 23 mm diameter, 5 g,
2) silver 83.5%, copper 16.5%, grained edge
3) denomination "1 L", year 1884, Romanian coat of arms,
letter B and wheat ear, the signs of Romanian mint, outer pearl circle.
4) inscription "CAROL I REGE AL ROMANIEI" meaning "KING OF ROMANIA" and
CAROL I head facing left, outer pearl circle. Under the neck lies
KULLRICH, the engraver's name.
5) Mintage: 1.000.000 coins in 1884 and 400.000 coins in 1885.
History
Principality of Romania
Although the first Romanian coins were minted in the United Kingdom in 1867, a one leu coin was not introduced until 1870. The first one leu coin was 83.5% silver and 16.5% copper, with a diameter of 23mm and mass of 5g. The obverse bore the portrait of Carol I of Romania facing left with the inscription CAROL I DOMNUL ROMANIEI
(Carol I Prince of the Romanians). The reverse, similar to other
Romanian coins of the time, featured the denomination and year of
minting within a wreath of laurel and oak.
Below the wreath, where the British mintmarks had been on previous
coins, was the initial 'C', for C.J. Cândescu, the director of the
Bucharest mint. There were also coins bearing the 'B' mintmark of the
mint itself. Production of the one leu coin began on 24 February 1870
and throughout the year a total of 400,000 were minted, some in coin orientation and some in medallic orientation.
A second one leu coin was introduced in 1873, retaining the
composition and dimensions of the 1870 issue. On the obverse, the
portrait was replaced with the full coat of arms of the Principality of Romania with the year below. The name of the engraver, STERN, and the mintmark of Saint Michael of Brussels
were either side of the date. On the reverse, the wreath was shortened
to include the name of the country at the top of the coin. There were
coins struck in 1873 where the 'L' in 'LEU' was broken. The coin was
minted in Brussels, Belgium, in 1873, 1874 and 1876 with the following mintages
