In 1926, the Ministry of Finance introduced notes for the Republic of Turkey in denominations of TL 1, TL 5, TL 10, TL 50, TL 100, TL 500 and TL 1,000. These were the last notes printed with both French and Turkish (in the Arabic script) texts on them. The TL 50, TL 100, TL 500 and TL 1,000 notes carried the portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Between 1937 and 1939, the Central Bank of Turkey introduced new notes with Turkish texts in the Latin script, again depicting Atatürk. this time on all denominations. After Atatürk's death the same design was recycled with İsmet İnönü replacing Atatürk's image. Denominations of TL 2½, TL 5, TL 10, TL 50, TL 100, TL 500 and TL 1,000 were issued. TL 1 notes were reintroduced in 1942, followed by 50 kuruş (TL 0.5) notes in 1944. These two lowest denominations were replaced by coins after the War.
Atatürk reappeared on a subsequent series of notes in the early 1950s. The TL 2½ notes were replaced by coins in 1960, with the same happening to the TL 5 and TL 10 notes in 1974 and 1981. Higher denomination notes were introduced during the 1980s and 90s: TL 5,000 in 1981, TL 10,000 in 1982, TL 20,000 in 1988, TL 50,000 in 1989, TL 100,000 in 1991, TL 250,000 in 1992, TL 500,000 in 1993, TL 1,000,000 in 1995, TL 5,000,000 in 1997, TL 10,000,000 in 1999, TL 20,000,000 in 2001 and TL 100,000,000 in 2009. The higher values of the "E7 Emission Group" banknotes (1992 TL 250,000 and later and higher value notes) were exchangeable for new lira at a rate of TL 1,000,000 to ₺1 at branches of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey until 31 December 2015, after which time they became worthless. The TL 50,000 note ceased to be redeemable on 4 November 2009, and the TL 100,000 note on 4 November 2011.
The First Issue (E1) Banknotes Banknotes of 1st Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 1166 × 90Olive greenHouse of Parliament, Citadel of Ankara, a ploughing farmerFormer Building of Prime Ministry5 December 192725 April 1939 5170 × 94Dark blueThe Citadel of Ankara, a grey wolf and the House of ParliamentAkköprü15 October 1937 10175 × 99LilacThe Citadel of Ankara, a grey wolfThe Citadel of Ankara16 May 1938 50185 × 108Brown, olive greenMustafa Kemal AtatürkAfyon1 April 1938 100189 × 112Olive greenA view of a village1 March 1938 500194 × 120Brown and yellowGökmedrese, Mustafa Kemal AtatürkSivas15 June 1939 1,000201 × 124Dark blueMustafa Kemal AtatürkA view from the railroad to Sakarya
The Second Issue (E2) Banknotes Banknotes of 2nd Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 0.5(50 Kuruş)125 × 55Yellow and light greenGreen and brownİsmet İnönüFormer Head Office Building of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey26 June 19441 August 1947 1135 × 60VioletBosphorus25 April 1942 2½145 × 65Olive greenMustafa Kemal AtatürkStatue of Victory at Ulus Square25 April 193915 July 1952 5155 × 70BlueGreenSecurity Monument15 September 193710 November 1952 10165 × 75Brick redThe Citadel of Ankara16 May 19382 June 1952 50175 × 80VioletAngora goats1 April 1938 100185 × 85Dark brownDardanelles1 March 193815 September 1942 500195 × 90Olive greenRumelihisarı15 June 193924 April 1946 İsmet İnönü18 November 1940 1,000205 × 95Slate blueMustafa Kemal AtatürkSecurity Monument15 June 1939 İsmet İnönü18 November 1940
The Third Issue (E3) Banknotes Banknotes of 3rd Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 2½145 × 65Purple and brownİsmet İnönüHalkevleri27 March 194715 July 1952 10155 × 65Orange and beigeThree Turkish village women in local costumes15 January 19421 April 1950 50175 × 80Purple and greenPurpleAngora goats25 April 19421 December 1951 Blue and pink17 February 1947 100175 × 75BrownA girl holding grapes15 August 194225 April 1946 500185 × 85Olive greenStudents at the Technical School, Ankara24 April 194615 April 1953 1,000195 × 95BlueScouts
The Fourth Issue (E4) Banknotes Banknotes of 4th Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 10165 × 75Redİsmet İnönüThe Sultan Ahmed Fountain17 February 19472 June 1952 Light brown15 September 1948 100181 × 83GreenRumelihisarı18 July 194710 October 1952
The Fifth Issue (E5) Banknotes Banknotes of 5th Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 2½145 × 65Reddish purpleReddish purpleMustafa Kemal AtatürkFormer Head Office Building of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey15 July 195220 October 1966 Brown3 January 1955 Light red1 July 1957 Bright green15 February 1960 5150 × 68BlueBlueThree Turkish girls with hazelnut baskets10 November 19528 January 1968 Green8 June 1959 Blue25 October 1961 4 January 1965 10155 × 71GreenGreenMecidiye bridge2 June 19524 July 1966 Dark red26 October 1953 Brown24 March 1958 Green25 April 1960 Red15 May 1961 Green2 January 1963 50160 × 74BrownBrownStatue of Victory at Ulus Square1 December 19517 May 1979 Orange2 February 1953 Rose15 October 1956 Greyish green1 October 1957 Brown15 February 1960 1 June 1964 2 August 1971 100170 × 80Olive greenGençlik Parkı10 October 195212 April 1976 GreenGreenish blue2 July 1956 Olive green4 August 1958 15 March 1962 1 October 1964 Light olive green17 March 1969 500170 × 80BrownSultan Ahmed Mosque, Obelix and Hippodrome15 April 19531 September 1976 Dark grey16 February 1959 Brown1 December 1962 Violet3 June 1968 1,000Rumelihisarı15 April 19537 May 1979
The Sixth Issue (E6) Banknotes Banknotes of 6th Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 5135 × 60PurpleMustafa Kemal AtatürkManavgat Waterfall8 January 196816 May 1983 20 September 1976 10140 × 65Olive greenMaiden's Tower4 July 196621 September 1981 7 April 1975 20143 × 66Light brownAnıtkabir15 June 196621 August 1987 24 June 1974 29 August 1979 30 May 1983 50160 × 71BrownLight brownThe marble fountain in the rose garden in front of Yerevan Kiosk9 April 1976 Light brown4 April 1983 100170 × 77GreenBrownMount Ararat15 May 19725 May 1986 24 September 1979 20 June 1983 500170 × 80Olive green and blueThe Main gate of Istanbul University1 September 197115 June 1984 9 September 1974 1 000170 × 82VioletBosphorus29 May 197829 September 1986 17 December 1979 10 June 1981
The Seventh Issue (E7) Banknotes The notes were given security features. The later versions of the TL 100,000, TL 250,000, TL 500,000 and TL 1,000,000 notes lost their colour-changing ink due to inflation. Banknotes of 7th Emission Image ValueTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 10122 × 55Pink and olive greenMustafa Kemal AtatürkA group of young students giving flowers to Atatürk25 December 197921 August 1987 15 November 1982 100131 × 63Purple and brownThe Citadel of Ankara, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, and his home in Ankara, the first two quatrains of İstiklâl Marşı26 December 198321 August 1989 17 September 1984 500140 × 72Blueİzmir Clock Tower1 July 1983 21 May 1984 1,000VioletMehmed the Conqueror with old Istanbul skyline31 March 19863 August 1992 19 February 1988 5,000Brown, orange and blueMevlana Mausoleum and a figure of Mevlana2 November 198131 January 1994 146 × 72Brown and green29 July 1985 13 June 1988 Afşin-Elbistan thermal power station28 May 1990 10,000 (YTL 0.01)Purple and greenGreenMimar Sinan and his work of art Selimiye Mosque25 October 198215 December 1995 13 April 1984 24 January 1989 22 February 1993 20,000 (YTL 0.02)152 × 76Claret redVioletNew Head Office Building of the Central Bank of Turkey9 May 19889 September 1997 Yellow and orange 3 April 1995 50,000 (YTL 0.05)GreenGreenHouse of Parliament15 May 19895 November 1999 Green and dark grey20 February 1995 100,000 (YTL 0.1)158 × 76Brown and greenMustafa Kemal Atatürk, statue of Atatürk in SamsunA group of young students giving flowers to Atatürk11 November 19915 November 2001 15 July 1994 12 August 1996 250,000 (YTL 0.25)BlueMustafa Kemal AtatürkKızıl Kule2 October 19921 January 2006 2 October 1995 16 March 1998 500,000 (YTL 0.5)160 × 76PurpleÇanakkale Martyrs' Memorial18 March 1993 16 May 1994 26 August 1994 PurpleViolet10 October 1997 1,000,000 (YTL 1)Claret red and blueAtatürk Dam16 January 1995 9 September 1996 10 January 2002 5,000,000 (YTL 5)162 × 76Pastel yellow and greenish brownAnıtkabir6 January 1997 10,000,000 (YTL 10)RedPiri Reis Map5 November 1999 20,000,000 (YTL 20)GreenEphesus5 November 2001
The Eighth Issue (E8) Banknotes In the transitional period between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2008, the second Turkish lira was officially called "new Turkish lira" (abbr: YTL) in Turkey. Banknotes, referred to by the Central Bank as the "E-8 Emission Group", were introduced in 2005 in denominations of YTL 1, YTL 5, YTL 10, YTL 20, YTL 50, and YTL 100. Whilst the lower four denominations replaced older notes and used very similar designs, the YTL 50 and YTL 100 notes did not have equivalents in the old currency. All notes depict Mustafa Kemal Atatürk from different points of his life and images of various historical and otherwise important buildings and places in Turkey. Banknotes of 8th Emission Image Value YTL Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal 1156 × 76Claret red and bluePale claret red and blueMustafa Kemal AtatürkAtatürk Dam1 January 20051 January 2010 5162 × 76Pastel yellow and greenish brownAnıtkabir 10RedPurple and redPiri Reis Map 20GreenEphesus 50152 × 81OrangeLight brown and orangeCappadocia 100158 × 81BlueIshak Pasha Palace
The Ninth Issue (E9) Banknotes A new series of banknotes, the "E-9 Emission Group" entered circulation on 1 January 2009, with the E-8 group ceasing to be valid after 31 December 2009 (although still redeemable at branches of the Central Bank until 31 December 2019). The E-9 banknotes refer to the currency as "Turkish lira" rather than "new Turkish lira", and include a new ₺200 denomination. The new banknotes have different sizes to prevent forgery. The main specificity of this new series is that each denomination depicts a famous Turkish personality, rather than geographical sites and architectural features of Turkey. The dominant colour of the ₺5 banknote has been determined as “purple” on the second series of the current banknotes. Current Turkish lira banknotes Image Value₺ Dimensions(mm) Main Colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Watermark 5130 × 64BrownMustafa Kemal AtatürkAydın Sayılı, diagrams of solar system, atom, ancient cave and a left-handed Z-DNA helix.Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Value1 January 2009 Purple8 April 2013 10136 × 64RedCahit Arf, Arf invariant, arithmetic series, abacus, binary1 January 2009 20142 × 68GreenMimar Kemaleddin, Gazi University main building, aqueduct, circular motif and cube-globe-cylinder symbolizing architecture 50148 × 68OrangeFatma Aliye Topuz, flower and literary figures 100154 × 72BlueBuhurizade Itri, notes, instruments and Mevlevi figure 200160 × 72PinkYunus Emre, Yunus'''s mausoleum, rose, pigeon and the line "Sevelim, sevilelim''" (Let us love, let us be loved)
See also Turkish lira Economy of Turkey Economy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Coins of Turkey
References
External links Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Catalog of Banknotes of Turkey