27 mm diameter, 5.86 g, 95% steel plated with 5% nickel, flat edge denomination "3 LEI" and oil refinery, at left two oil rigs	Inscription "REPUBLICA POPULARA ROMANA" meaning "ROMANIAN PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC", year 1963 flanked on either sides by a pair of squares, Romanian coat of arms Mintage: 18.436.000 coins

In the monograph Monede şi bancnote româneşti (Buzdugan, Luchian and Oprescu, 1977) these coins are presumed to be made from nickel. It seems to be in fact nickel plated steel. The rust on the edge of the heavy worn coins is a good argument in support of the steel core, because the nickel is very resistant to corrosion.

In the book Monetele României (Coins of Romania, by Iliescu and Radovici, 2004) is mentioned that this coin was struck in 1963 - 1965, all coins bearing the same year 1963.