1000 Lei

Romania's hyperinflationary spiral through the early 1990s made large-denomination notes a practical necessity almost immediately after issue. The 1000 Lei, substantial in face value when first printed, was effectively a small-change note within a few years as annual inflation repeatedly exceeded 100 percent — peaking near 300 percent in 1993 itself.

P#102 is among the more common survivors of this period precisely because it circulated hard and fast, turning over constantly before being displaced by even larger denominations. The 1998 redenomination eventually rendered the entire series obsolete.