Catalog
1 Tenge
| Issuer | National Bank of Kazakhstan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Tenge (1 KZT) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The central vignette presents a composite of architectural plans and geometric diagrams attributed to Äl-Färäbi, including intersecting polyhedra, stellar constructions with labelled vertices, and scaled architectural elevations, all rendered in a multicolour intaglio and letterpress underprint. The denomination БІР ТЕҢГЕ appears in bold Cyrillic at centre, flanked on the right by a panel of traditional Kazakh ornamental motifs and the State Emblem of Kazakhstan within a circular cartouche. A star-shaped guilloche numeral medallion occupies the lower right corner. |
| Reverse lettering | БАНКНОТТАРДЫ ҚОЛДАН ЖАСАУ ЗАҢМЕН ҚУДАЛАНАДЫ 1 БІР ТЕҢГЕ (Translation: Counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law, One Tenge) |
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| Comments |
Kazakhstan's inaugural banknote series, introduced in November 1993, replaced the Soviet ruble almost overnight — the government kept the transition secret until the last moment to prevent capital flight and ruble dumping across the border. Citizens had three days to exchange their rubles at controlled rates.
Harrison & Sons, then still operating out of High Wycombe, printed the entire inaugural tenge series. The 1 Tenge is the lowest denomination of that founding issue, and given the inflation that followed through the mid-1990s, it fell out of practical use quickly.