Ziraat Bank, founded in 1863 as the first state bank in Ottoman history, was established specifically to provide agricultural credit to rural Anatolian farmers who had no access to formal lending. This commemorative issue marks its 150th anniversary. The bank survived the collapse of the empire, the War of Independence, and multiple monetary reforms — nationalized outright in 1937 under Atatürk's statist economic program.
Ziraat Bank, founded in 1863 as the first state bank in Ottoman history, was established specifically to provide agricultural credit to rural Anatolian farmers who had no access to formal lending. This commemorative issue marks its 150th anniversary. The bank survived the collapse of the empire, the War of Independence, and multiple monetary reforms — nationalized outright in 1937 under Atatürk's statist economic program.