1000 Drams Bear

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic — a self-declared state controlling territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan — issued its own coinage primarily as a revenue-generating exercise, since the Armenian dram circulated as the practical currency. These pieces were never intended for everyday use. The issuing authority ceased to exist entirely in September 2023, when Azerbaijani military operations forced the dissolution of the republic and the displacement of virtually its entire ethnic Armenian population.

KM#20 is one of a small series of wildlife-themed silver issues from 2004, likely produced by a European contract mint.