2 1/2 Lira FAO

Turkey's FAO coinage program of the late 1970s and early 1980s was part of a United Nations-coordinated effort to raise awareness of global food production — dozens of nations issued purpose-struck pieces under the initiative, often timed to specific agricultural campaigns. This 1980 piece coincided with a particularly turbulent year in Turkish political history: a military coup on September 12th effectively suspended civilian government, and normal economic activity was severely disrupted. Coins from this transitional period frequently show inconsistent production quality, a direct consequence of institutional instability at the mint during the changeover.