10 Som

The 1997 series was Kyrgyzstan's second generation of som notes, replacing the provisional 1993 issue that had been rushed into production following the country's exit from the Soviet ruble zone in May of that year. The 1993 notes were printed by Goznak in Moscow — an awkward arrangement for a newly independent state — and the 1997 redesign allowed Kyrgyz Bank to establish a more distinctly national currency identity.

Watermark-only security on this denomination reflects the modest infrastructure available to smaller post-Soviet issuers in the mid-1990s. Security thread, metallic ink, and microprinting came later in the series.