Catalog
500 Som
| Issuer | Kyrgyz Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 2000 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Som (500 KGS) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a richly composed vignette drawn from scenes and imagery of the epic 'Manas', rendered in multicolor intaglio and letterpress with stylized traditional Kyrgyz ornamental motifs forming the background underprint. The central field incorporates fantastical figures and heroic scenes inspired by the oral epic tradition, framed by elaborate guilloche borders. The denomination and bank title appear in Kyrgyz script, with the year '2000' incorporated into the design. |
| Reverse lettering | КЫРГЫЗ БАНКЫ БЕШ ЖҮЗ СОМ 500 2000 (Translation: Kyrgyz Bank, Five Hundred Som) |
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| Comments |
Kyrgyzstan's 500 Som denomination entered circulation as part of the country's ongoing effort to stabilize its currency system after the Som's introduction in May 1993 — a unilateral break from the ruble zone that caught Moscow off guard and left Kyrgyzstan temporarily isolated from CIS trade arrangements. By 2000, the National Bank had accumulated enough experience with counterfeiting pressures to justify the hologram strip, which was relatively advanced for Central Asian issues at that point.
Pick 17 is the first 500 Som to incorporate the full three-layer security package. Earlier high-denomination Kyrgyz notes had relied on watermark and thread alone.