2019-04-04 Thu

Turkey is a nation straddling Eastern Europe and western Asia with cultural connections to ancient Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Cosmopolitan Istanbul, on the Bosphorus Strait, is home to the iconic Hagia Sophia, with its soaring dome and Christian mosaics, the massive 17th-century Blue Mosque and the circa-1460 Topkap? Palace, former home of sultans. Ankara is Turkey’s modern capital.

Turkey has the world's 13th largest GDP and 17th largest nominal GDP. The Turkish Lira is the currency of Turkey and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. From 1st January 2009, new E-9 Emission Group banknotes entered circulation. The E-9 banknotes refer to the currency as "Turkish lira" rather than "new Turkish lira". The new banknotes have different sizes to prevent forgery.

All the notes in this new series depict a famous Turkish personality, rather than geographical sites and architectural features of Turkey. Today we are discussing a 20 Lira banknote of 2009. The obverse has the effigy of President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk to right; the crescent moon and star from Turkish flag with the denominational value. The reverse has the portrait of architect Mimar Ahmet Kemaleddin Bey; a sketch of Gazi University presidential building, arches of the aqueduct, circular motifs and forms such as a cube, sphere, and cylinder depicting the three-dimensional structure of architecture.

Image Courtesy: eBay.com