13.92 mm diameter, 1.224 grams 99.9% Au, proof quality, grained edge Obverse: Romanian Coat of Arms, denomination "100 Lei" and the inscription "ROMANIA". Ornaments: a polygonal medallion	Reverse: graphics of the ornamental plate found at Apahida (near Cluj - Napoca) and a circular inscription "VULTUR APAHIDA", VULTUR meaning VULTURE or EAGLE Issuing date: 14th of April 2003 Mintage: 2000 coins

The coin pictures an eagle (vulture) shaped golden plaque belonging to the Germanic strain of the Gepids. In fact, it is a piece of harness made of gold and embellished with garnets (red gems). It was found in 1968 in a hoard at Apahida (the Romanian county of Cluj).

The representation of the eagle is not at all singular. See below an Ostrogoth artifact picture (at right) taken from an Italian history book.

Golden Eagle of Apahida	Similar Artifact from Italy

The Apahidan eagle coin was engraved by Vasile Gabor. Up to 2.000 pieces were struck, not more - cannot tell the exact number.

The History of gold series comprises:
- a set of four pieces of 500 old lei featuring the golden cache of Pietroasa (2001),
- the following 100 old lei coins with

- the Dacian helmet of Poiana-Coţofeneşti (1999, 2002 and 2003),

- the eagle from Apahida (2003),

- a Cantacuzinian engolpion (2004),
- the following 10 new lei with

- the Perşinari Hoard (2005),

- the Cucuteni-Băiceni hoard (2006),

- the rhyton of Poroina (2007),

- the Hinova hoard (2008),

- the Someşeni hoard (2010),

- the buckle of Curtea de Argeş (2011),

- the cross from Dinogetia (2011),

- the patera from Pietroasa Hoard (2012),

- the Four Gospels of Hurezi Monastery (2013),

- two ancient gold coins struck at Histria (2014),

- the crown of queen Marie (2015),

- the mace of king Ferdinand (2016),

- the crown of queen Elisabeth (2017),

- the 10 ducats 1600 coin with Michael the Brave (2018),

- the 50 lei with year 1922 coin (2019),

- some late Roman gold artifacts discovered at Carsium (2020),

- the polygonal vessels from the Pietroasa hoard (2022),

- the princely diadem of Buneşti-Avereşti (2023),

- the Apahida hoard (2024).

It was sold in a plastic capsule.

Sold for 1.350.000 lei (about 38 €). But if you really want to have it, you are to buy another wooden box that will hold it, worth another 150.000 lei. The plastic capsule is well fit inside the box, but the coin itself IS NOT inside a rubber ring that, itself, isn't well suited with the plastic receptacle I told above. So the coin goes like free hither and thither despite a vaunted wrapping and a high price.