5 Leva Srebro

Bulgaria's first nationally issued banknote series, of which this is the lowest denomination, was contracted to the Imperial Russian state printing works in Saint Petersburg — a politically meaningful choice for a country that had achieved autonomy from the Ottoman Empire largely through Russian military intervention in 1878. The Goznak facility had been producing Russian state securities since 1818 and was among the most technically capable intaglio printers in Europe at the time.

The "Srebro" designation — silver — indicates the note was nominally backed by, and redeemable in, silver coin. Bulgaria was on a silver standard at issue.