20 Leu Kingdom of Romania (1881-1947) Gold Michael of Romania

Mint Year: 1944

Denomination: 20 Lei Mintage: 196.000 pcs.

Reference: Friedberg 21, Bruce XM13. Mint Place: Bucharest (B) Material: Gold (.900) Diameter: 21mm Weight: 6.55gm

Obverse: Conjoined heads of three Romanian Kings (Michael “the Brave”, Ferdinand I., Mihai I.) left. Legend: ARDEALUL NOSTRU . 1601.1918.1944. Reverse: Eleven shields around crowned eagle head with cross in beak.

Legend: ROMANIA Michael (born October 25, 1921) reigned as King of the Romanians (Romanian: Maiestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor, literally “His Majesty Michael I King of the Romanians”) from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930, and again from September 6, 1940, until forced to abdicate by the communists backed up by orders of Stalin to the Soviet armies of occupation on December 30, 1947. He is also a Prince of Hohenzollern. A great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria by both of his parents and a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, he is one of the last surviving heads of state from World War II, the others being Simeon II of Bulgaria and former King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia.