Catalog
1000 Livres
| Issuer | Ottoman Public Debt Administration (Düyun-u Umumiye) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | The tughra of Sultan Mehmed V is positioned at upper centre within a medallion, flanked by the denomination numerals '1000' in the upper left and right corners. The central field carries the Arabic inscription of 'Devlet-i Aliyye-i Osmaniye' in large calligraphic script, with additional Arabic text panels below set against a fine guilloche underprint. An ornate geometric border of interlaced arabesque motifs frames the entire note, with rosette cornerpieces and a serial number panel bearing the alphanumeric prefix printed at lower left and right. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is dominated by a large central oval panel containing several lines of Arabic text, set within an elaborate guilloche border. The denomination '1000' appears in Arabic-Indic numerals at upper centre and in Western numerals at lower centre, both framed by decorative geometric rosettes. The surrounding border repeats the interlaced arabesque motif seen on the obverse, with floral cornerpiece medallions and the 'LIVRES TURQUES' inscription visible on the left margin. |
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| Comments |
The Ottoman Public Debt Administration was not a bank — it was an international creditor body established by the 1881 Muharrem Decree to collect Ottoman revenues directly on behalf of European bondholders. That it began issuing paper currency in 1915 reflects how thoroughly the empire's financial architecture had collapsed under wartime strain, with the regular treasury unable to function independently.
The 1000 Livres denomination was the highest in this emergency series, almost certainly too large for routine commercial use. Printed while the empire was fighting on multiple fronts simultaneously, these notes circulated in a monetary environment already destabilized by earlier Kaime issues and accelerating inflation. Pick lists only a single type for this denomination, suggesting limited issue volumes.