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20 Lira Traditional Turkish Theatre
| Issuer | Turkey Cumhuriyet Merkez Bankası (Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The central field depicts two full-length figures of traditional Ottoman orta oyunu theatre characters — Kavuklu (left), identifiable by his distinctive tall cylindrical headdress, and Pişekar (right), holding a slap-stick — both shown standing on a stage rendered in low relief. Draped stage curtains tied at the sides frame the scene on either side, and a circular spotlight device is suggested in the background above the figures. The upper peripheral legend reads 'GELENEKSEL TÜRK TİYATROSU' and the lower legend names the characters 'KAVUKLU · PİŞEKAR', all set against a deeply mirrored proof field. |
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Issued as part of Turkey's long-running cultural commemorative silver program, this piece honors Karagöz and Hacivat — the two central figures of Ottoman shadow puppet theatre whose origins are traditionally placed in Bursa, likely predating the 16th century. The form was recognized by UNESCO on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009, which prompted renewed institutional interest in the tradition across Turkish state agencies.
The Central Bank's cultural series has drawn periodic criticism for prioritizing export collector sales over domestic circulation relevance — these pieces are struck to sell, not to spend.