20 Som 30 Years of National Currency

Kyrgyzstan introduced the som in May 1993, replacing the Soviet ruble at a time when the republic had been independent for less than two years and had no central bank infrastructure to speak of. This commemorative marks three decades of that currency. Crane Currency, based in Dalton, has supplied security paper to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing for well over a century — their involvement here is unremarkable in one sense, but worth noting given how rarely Central Asian states commission from American security printers.

The watermark is the sole listed security feature, modest for a 2023 issue.