20 Kuruş

The Hazine-i Celile — the Imperial Treasury — began issuing paper money in 1840 under Sultan Mahmud II's reform program, making these notes among the earliest Ottoman paper currency. By 1852 the series was well-established but deeply distrusted by the general population, who continued to prefer metallic coinage. Acceptance was essentially compelled through state mandate rather than public confidence.

The seal stamps served as the primary authentication device, applied by treasury officials at the point of issue — a hand-process that means no two examples are stamped identically. Fading or partial impressions are common and should not be read as damage.