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1 000 000 Lira Mehmed Akif Ersoy
| Issuer | Turkish State Mint (Darphane ve Damga Matbaası Genel Müdürlüğü) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 |
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| Value | 1 000 000 Lira (1 000 000 TRL) |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a detailed bust portrait of Mehmed Akif Ersoy, the celebrated Turkish poet and author of the Turkish National Anthem, depicted facing slightly forward in a suit and tie with a short beard, rendered in high relief against a mirror-polished field. The legend 'MEHMED AKİF ERSOY 60. ÖLÜM YILI' curves along the upper border, commemorating the 60th anniversary of his death. The date range '1936-1996' appears in the lower exergue, flanked by delicate floral ornamental devices on either side. |
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| Mint | Turkish State Mint (Darphane ve Damga Matbaası Genel Müdürlüğü) |
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| Additional information |
Mehmed Akif Ersoy wrote the Turkish national anthem, İstiklal Marşı, in 1921 under direct request from the Grand National Assembly during the War of Independence — reportedly composing it in a single sitting at a guesthouse in Kastamonu. He refused the prize money offered by the Assembly. Ersoy died in 1936, and his image did not appear on Turkish currency for decades; this commemorative was part of a broader 1990s program by the Darphane to honor cultural and literary figures largely absent from mainstream numismatic recognition.