Catalog
1000 Livres
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire (Ministry of Finance) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | The toughra of Sultan Mehmed V at upper centre, set within an elaborate geometric and floral guilloche border in blue-green tones. The central cartouche carries the Ottoman State inscription in Arabic script, flanked by rosette ornaments at each corner. Denomination numerals appear at left and right margins, with two signature lines and an oval seal below the central text panel. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Intricate geometric guilloche framework in grey-brown tones frames a central text panel bearing multi-line Arabic script detailing the note's legal tender provisions. The denomination "١٠٠٠" appears in large numerals at the top and bottom of the composition, with a circular Ottoman seal at right and the legend "LIVRES TURQUES" at left within the border. |
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| Comments |
Issued by the Ottoman Ministry of Finance rather than the Imperial Ottoman Bank, this note reflects the wartime breakdown of normal currency arrangements. The Imperial Ottoman Bank — a Franco-British joint-stock institution with the monopoly on note issue — was effectively sidelined as an Allied-linked entity once the war began, forcing the Finance Ministry to issue its own paper directly, backed by nothing more than government obligation.
Reichsdruckerei in Berlin produced the series as part of Germany's material support for its Ottoman ally. The high denomination suggests these circulated primarily in large commercial transactions, if they circulated meaningfully at all — wartime inflation made even four-figure notes inadequate within months of issue.