Catalog
200 Piastres
| Issuer | Banque Impériale Ottomane, Smyrna |
|---|---|
| Year | 1863 |
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| Currency | Piastre (1844-1923) |
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in warm red-brown and green tones, centred on a large oval guilloche underprint with the numeral '200' at its heart, surrounded by intricate lathe-work patterns. The legend 'BANQUE IMPÉRIALE OTTOMANE' is set in arched letterpress at the top of the oval. Ottoman script text appears in a panel at the lower centre, and the border is formed by a repeated green geometric frame. Handwritten endorsements in ink are visible in the margins. |
| Reverse lettering | BANQUE IMPÉRIALE OTTOMANE 200 Remboursable à SMYRNE. |
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| Comments |
The Banque Impériale Ottomane received its concession in 1863, the same year this note was issued — making early Smyrna branch pieces among the first outputs of what would become the Ottoman Empire's de facto central bank. The Smyrna branch served one of the empire's busiest commercial ports, a city whose trade in figs, tobacco, and cotton made it far more economically significant than many European capitals of the day.
Branch-designated issues of this bank are considerably scarcer than Istanbul-issued equivalents, as provincial branches maintained smaller float and saw heavier redemption pressure from European merchant houses active in the port.