Catalog
500 Lira
| Issuer | Türkiye Cumhuriyet Merkez Bankası (Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1946 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Paper |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A large central vignette portrays students operating industrial machinery — including lathes and drill presses — at the Technical School in Ankara, rendered in fine intaglio engraving. Elaborate guilloche rosettes flank the central scene on both sides, with the denomination numeral "500" repeated in each corner. The bank title appears across the top and the full denomination inscription is set within an ornamental panel at the foot of the note. |
| Reverse lettering | TÜRKİYE CÜMHURİYET MERKEZ BANKASI BEŞYÜZ TÜRK LİRASI (Translation: Central Bank of the Turkish Republic, Five Hundred Turkish Lira) |
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| Comments |
Turkey's postwar monetary position was precarious in 1946 — the country had avoided direct involvement in the Second World War but spent heavily on mobilization, and inflation had eroded confidence in domestic currency. The 500 Lira was an enormous denomination for the period, roughly equivalent to several months' wages for an ordinary worker, which meant most examples passed through very few hands before being tucked away.
The American Bank Note Company contract reflects Ankara's continued preference for foreign security printers at a time when domestic printing infrastructure was not yet trusted for high-value notes. ABNC had held Turkish printing contracts since the early Republican period.