20 Lira Adnan Menderes

Adnan Menderes was Turkey's first democratically elected prime minister to be removed from power by force — overthrown in the military coup of May 1960 and hanged on İmralı Island in September 1961, a judicial outcome widely condemned as a political execution. His official rehabilitation came decades later; the Turkish state has since named airports, bridges, and universities after him. This coin belongs to a broader commemorative program the Darphane has run for years honoring figures the current political establishment considers foundational — Menderes fits squarely within that framing.