50 Tyiyn

The tyiyn denominations of 1993 were Kyrgyzstan's first independent currency, introduced just two years after the Soviet collapse. The som and its fractional tyiyn replaced the Russian ruble in May 1993, making Kyrgyzstan one of the first Central Asian republics to break from the ruble zone — a move that carried genuine economic risk at the time, given the republic's deep trade dependency on its neighbors.

Thomas De La Rue handled the full inaugural series. At 90 × 70 mm, this is among the smallest notes the firm has ever produced for a sovereign issuer.