We compiled the list of artists who created the designs of the coins and banknotes of Republic of Türkiye.
Most of the coins were produced by artists employed by the Mint, and most of the banknotes by the engravers of the Central Bank’s Banknote Print, yet in the early periods of the Republic, foreign experts were consulted and the works of artists participating in occasional competitions have also taken place on commemorative and circulation coins.
Artists whose designs were used on Turkish currency:
(dates in brackets indicate the year which the artist’s first design ewas released into circulation.)
The Turkish Republic was declared on the 29th of October, 1923. However, the first coins could be struck a year later.
In order not to hinder daily trade, coins and banknotes that the newly formed Republic inherited from the Ottoman Empire (*1) remained valid.
1924
The Law allowing the Republic to strike its own money was passed in February of 1924. In August, the 10 Kuruş, in September the 5 Kuruş and in October the 100 para bronze coins were put into circulation (*2). The coins inscribed with old text were designed by Ahmet Mesrur Durum (aka Mesrur Izzet Bey). Customary units were retained, 1 Lira was equal to 100 Kuruş, 1 Kuruş was equal to 40 Para.
10 Kurus 1924 – Reverse
5 Kurus 1924
100 Para reverse
10 Kurus 1924 – Obverse
1925
On 5th of October, 1925, the first golden coins of the Republic were produced. The 5 Lira pieces were struck ceremoniously. The very first piece take out of the press was entrusted to the Minister of Finance Abdülhalik Renda, to be delivered to the president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk(*3).
Meanwhile, the 25 Kuruş nickel coins were released into circulation. The public nicknamed them the “buffalo eye”, due to their large size.
Ankara gold Lira
Ankara Gold Lira
1928 – 25 Kurus (Buffalo Eye) Reverse
25 Kuruş 1928 Obverse
1926
Until 1926, the Ottoman fiscal calendar was the Rumi Calendar. In the Republican era, Türkiye switched to using the Gregorian Calendar.
Then the coins of 1926 and forward had the dates inscribed in that format. However, until the alphabet reform in 1928, years were still written in Eastern Arabic numerals as (١٩٢٦) (*4)
Ankara golds in two and a half (2½) Lira, One Lira, Half (½) and Quarter (¼) Lira coins were also introduced.
1927
Embellished Monnaies-de-Lux gold coins were introduced. They were struck in five types like the “Ankara Golds” the bullion coins of the Republic.
The first banknotes of the Republic were released on 5th of December 1927. The designs were made by Artist Ali Sami Boyar (*5) and the printing was done in London. The set of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1.000 Lira are known as the “First Emission” within the Turkish financial circles.
Because the banknotes were printed before the alphabet reform, the texts are in Ottoman Turkish Arabic, and the value of the notes are also indicated in French; retaining the customs from the Ottoman Bank notes.
Due to the fact that banknotes were convertible to the gold standard, large denominations like 500 or 1.000 Lira had a great purchasing power. That is why it was unlikely that they were kept for collection purposes. Only few have remained to date.
Gold, Monnaies de Luxe
Gold, Monnaies de Luxe
1. Emission 1.000 Lira front side
1. Emission 1.000 Lira back side
1. Emission 500 Lira front side
1. Emission 500 Lira back side
1. Emission set 100 Lira front
1. Emission serie 100 Lira back side
1st Emission 50 Lira front
1st Emission 50 Lira back
1st Emission 5 Lira front
1st Emission 5 Lira back side
First Emission 10 Lira front
First Emission 10 Lira back
1. Emission set 1 Lira front
1. Emission set 1 Lira back
1931
Part of the reforms of the Republic, a modified version of the Latin letters was accepted as the official alphabet in 1928. In 1931, drafts for the banknotes in new letters were made. There are few specimens of 50 and 1.000 Lira notes that survived to day, however they were not mass printed for circulation (*36).
1934
Türkiye was also affected by the Great Depression of 1929, hence releasing any currency in the new alphabet was not possible until 1934.
The first coin with the new letters was 100 Kuruş of 1934. For its design, a contest was organised. The winning coin design bore an effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk above branches of olive on the obverse, and a Crescent with star encircled with ears of wheat and oak branches. The design was the artwork of Artist Ali Cemal.
The word Cumhuriyet (Republic) was written with an “ü” letter as the exact orthography was not yet settled. Previous Arabic text lacked all the vowels Turkish language uses, hence transition to the new Turkish alphabet created such discrepancies for some time (*8).
100 Kurus portrait of Mustafa Kemal Pasha
100 Kurus obverse
1935
A new set of coins consisting of 1, 5, 10, 25 ve 50 Kuruş coins was introduced. The designs were the work of Percy Metcalfe.
Inherently valuable silver pieces bore the effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, facing left on the obverse and a single ear of wheat with the denomination on their reverse sides.
The less valuable cupronickel pieces had crescent and star in a pre-standardized form on their obverse, and oak branches for 10 Kr piece, olive branches on the 5 and 1 Kr pieces reverse sides. The designs were of the typical art deco style of Metcalfe.
Obverse with effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk used on 50 and 25 Kurus silver coins released in 1935, and 1 Lira released in 1937
Reverse of the silver 50 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the silver 25 Kuruş from 1935
Obverse of the cupronickel small change (10, 5 and 1 Kuruş) released in 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 10 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 5 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 1 Kuruş from 1935
1937
100 Kuruş was withdrawn, and silver coins denominated at 1 Lira value were introduced. Atatürk’s effigy remained as on the 50 and 25 Kr pieces, but the reverse had crescent and star with two ears of wheat. Examples of this coin dated 1935 exist but are very rare (*42 p.50).
First note of the 2nd emission; 5 Lira was released.
Reverse of 1 Lira released in 1937
2. Emisyon 5 Lira Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 5 Lira arka tarafı
1938
Monnaies-de-Lux gold coins bearing Ataturk’s effigy were minted. Their design used the floral frame from V. Mehmed Resad’s 500 Kurus gold coin; the Ottoman Coat of Arms being replaced by an effigy of Ataturk within a ring of 32 stars, the reverse bearing a calligraphic inscription that reads Türkiye Cümhuriyeti (Turkish Republic).
1 Kurus coins were redesigned in undulated form because they were being confused with the silver 25 Kuruş pieces of same diameter. Examples of this coin dated 1938 with 10 bulges exist but are very rare (*42 p.31).
10, 50 and 100 Lira banknotes bearing texts in the new Latin letters were released as part of the 2. Emission.
Monnaies de Luxe obverse bearing effigy of Atatürk
Monnaies de Luxe reverse bearing calligraphic inscription in Latin letters “Türkiye Cümhuriyeti” (Turkish Republic)
2nd type of 1 Kurus coins released in 1938
2nd emission 10 Lira front
2nd emission 10 Lira back
2nd emission 50 Lira banknote front
2nd emission 50 Lira banknote back
2. emission 100 Lira front side
2. emission 100 Lira back side
1939
Two and a half (2½), 500 and 1.000 Lira banknotes were released continuing the 2. emission.
2. Emisyon 2½ Lira Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 2½ Lira arka tarafı
2. Emisyon 500 Lira Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 500 Lira arka tarafı
2. Emisyon 1000 Lira Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 1000 Lira arka tarafı
1940
Silver 1 Lira coins bearing the portrait of the second president İsmet İnönü, and bronze 10 Para (quarter of a Kurus) coins were introduced into circulation.
500 and 1000 Lira banknotes bearing President Inonu were also released.
İnönü portrait used on 1940 1 Lira silver coins
10 Para obverse
10 Para reverse
2. Emisyon 500 Lira 2Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 500 Lira 2. tertip arka tarafı
2. Emisyon 1000 Lira 2. tertip Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 1000 Lira 2. tertip arka tarafı
1941
The ship carrying the 50 Kr and 100 Lira banknotes printed in UK, was bombed by the German planes at Port of Piraeus, Greece. The banknotes were scattered and collected by the locals, hence were declared void and were never released into circulation (*14, *36).
1942
1 Lira banknotes bearing İnönü’s portrait were released as part of 2nd Emission.
10, 50 and 100 Lira banknotes with İsmet İnönü’s image, were released into circulation. They were part of part of the 3. Emission.
Türkiye was following a neutrality policy and until a couple of months before the end of the war, retained relations both with the Allied and the Axis Powers. As the Turkish Republic did not have its own banknote printing house, banknotes for circulation were produced partly at the British and partly at the German printing houses. Sometime after the initial order of the 100 Lira banknotes printed in Germany, some unapproved series were seen in circulation (*36). Afterwards, the German printing houses were not used and following banknotes were printed by printers in USA.
2. Emisyon 1 Lira Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 1 Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 10 Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 10 Lira Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 50 Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 50 Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 100 Lira Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 50 Lira arka tarafı
1943
Monnaies-de-Lux gold coins bearing the portrait of İnönü were minted.
Ziynet altını İsmet İnönü portresi
Ziynet Altını “Türkiye Cümhuriyeti” yazı tarafı
1944
Republican bullion gold coins with the new alphabet were minted in two types; half bearing Atatürk’s half İnönü’s effigy.
25 Kurus small change was no more struck in silver, but in cupronickel instead. This effectively meant a demotion of its status, hence the obverse could not bear Atatürk’s effigy and it was replaced by the crescent and star in the, by then, standardized form. These coins are of an alloy of zinc and bronze and produced by melting surplus artillery shell casings (*Ulus newspaper article by Ziya Tansu dated 14th of March 1948 and *42 p.46)
The word Cumhuriyet (Republic) was also amended into the settled syntax; with both u letters without any umlaut dots (*8).
50 Kr banknotes printed in Germany, part of the 2. emission group were introduced.
Meskuk Altın yazı tarafı
Meskuk Altın Atatürk Portreli
Meskuk Altın İsmet İnönü Portreli
1944 Yılı 25 Kuruş Ay yıldızlı Tura tarafı
1944 Yılı 25 Kuruş yazı yüzü
2. Emisyon 50 Kuruş Ön yüzü
2. Emisyon 50 Kuruş arka tarafı
1946
500 and 1000 Lira banknotes were released.
3. Emisyon 500 Lira Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 100 Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 500 Lira Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 1000 Lira arka tarafı
1947
Silver 1 Lira and 50 Kurush coins with the obverse bearing crescent and star, and also bronze 1 Kurus coins were released into circulation. These coins were designed by Prof. Emin Barın; a prominent calligrapher of the time. Coins of the lowest denomination were struck with holes in them. All the coins since 1924 were being struck in medallion orientation, the new ones were switched into coin orientation.
3rd emission two and a half(2½) Lira, 50 Lira in the 2nd layout and 4th emission 10 and 100 Lira banknotes were released.
Obverse of the silver 1 Lira and 50 Kurus pieces
Silver 1 Lira
Silver 50 Kurus
Delikli 1 kuruş tura
Delikli 1 kuruş yazı yüzü
3. Emisyon 2½ Lira Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 2½ Lira arka tarafı
3. Emisyon 50 Lira 2. tertip Ön yüzü
3. Emisyon 50 Lira arka tarafı
4. Emisyon 10 Lira Ön yüzü
4. Emisyon 10 Lira arka tarafı
4. Emisyon 100 Lira Ön yüzü
4. Emisyon 100 Lira Ön yüzü
1948
In 1944, 25 Kuruş pieces were struck in bronze and their obverse was matched to those of 1 Lira and 50 Kr coins already in circulation.
Two and a half (2½) Kurush (previously denominated at 100 Para) were minted in bronze with holes.
Half (½) Kuruş pieces were also designed and minted, completing the set of small change with the 1 and 2½ Kurus coins. However, they were not released into circulation. Some were included in the 1949 State Mint Sets and some were kept by the mint workers. It is estimated that there are circa 300 pieces in total (*25), hence they are among the rarest and most valuable coins of the Turkish Republic.
10 Lira 4. emission 2nd type were released.
25 Kuruş 1948 tura tarafı
1948 25 Kuruş
İki Buçuk Kuruş tura
İki Buçuk Kuruş yazı
Yarım Kuruş Tura
Yarım Kuruş yazı
4. Emisyon 2. tertip 10 Lira Ön yüzü
4. Emisyon 2. tertip 100 Lira arka tarafı
1949
10 and 5 Kuruş coins bearing the crescent and a star on their obverse were released. The circulation coins set of 1 Lira, 50, 25, 10 and 5 Kuruş gained a layout consistency.
1949 yılı 10 ve 5 Kuruşlarda kullanılan Ay yıldızlı tura yüzü
Tekin Gülbasar was born in 1978 in Zile, Tokat. He graduated Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Faculkty of Fine Arts, Sculpture Programme in 2006 and started working at the State Mint the same year.
Stuart Devlin designed the FAO Commemoratives of 1983-84 World Fisheries Conference.
Said coşns were made in three types – all denominated at 500 Lira – in gold, silver and cupro-nickel.
Royal Mint lead a commemorative coin programme for the Conference being held in Rome, where twelve countries participated with coins.
The initial pieces were struck without any mint mark, however the pieces struck at the Royal Mint for sales outside Türkiye bear the logo with the Tower of London. Later, the Turkish State Mint also introduced their own mint-mark designed by Suat Özyönüm(*28, p. 73~75).
FAO 1984 World Fisheries gold commemorative
FAO 1984 World Fisheries silver commemorative
Mintmark of the Turkish State Mint
Mint mark of the Royal Mint – the Tower of London
Stuart Leslie Devlin, an Australian by birth (1931 Geelong – Victoria), attended the Gordon Institute of Technology, specialising in gold and silversmithing. Later studies gold and silversmithing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London and also a Harkness Fellowship at Columbia University in New York.
In 1982 he was awarded the royal warrant as goldsmith and jeweller to the Queen. He designed the commemorative coins for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He also designed coins for around 30 different countries.
Stuart Devlin won the competition of 1964 for the design of the Australian coinage. The coins bear motifs of Australian native animals; such as a feather tail glider (1 c), a frilled lizard (2 c), an echidna (5c), a lyrebird (10 c), a platypus (20 c), Commonwealth Coat of Arms (50 c) and a mob of five kangaroos (1 $)
Hakkı Baha Çavuşgil, started working for the Turkish State Mint in 1979 and created dozens of circulation and commemorative coins until his death.
He graduated from Fine Arts Academy and created many sculptures, focusing on abstract figures.
His brief cv from the State Mint Website:
He was born on 15th of May, 1924 in Harput, Elazig. completed his primary and middle education in Canakkale, his high school in the capital; Financial Trade School of Ankara.
Enrolled to Academy of Fine Arts (Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University today). Received lessons from Rudolf Belling and Zuhtu Muritoglu workshops, graduated sculpture programme in 1955. Also graduated Decoration and Ornamentation Arts Ceramics programme in 1957.
Studied in Italy under Italian Gov’t scholarship at Rome Istituto Centrale Del Restauro for five years.
Graduated Rome Medallion Arts School with honours (1962)
Staged dozens of exhibitions domestically and abroad, received several awards.
His creations while working for the State Mint:
1981 Centennary of Ataturk’s birth; Half (½) and whole 1 Lira silver and gold coins (*1)
1981 FAO World Food Day; 16th of October 20 Lira aluminium and 1.500 Lira silver coins
1982 Hicretin 15. Yüzyılı
1982 FAO 16 Ekim Dünya Besin Günü gümüş 1.500 Lira
1982 Dünya İzciliğinin 75. Yılı
1983 Anadolu Medeniyetleri Sergisi 500 Lira küpronikel ve 50.000 Lira altın
1983 Cumhuriyet’in 60. Yılı (İnsan figürlerinin taşıdığı Ay Yıldız desenli yazı tarafı, *2)
1984 Kış Olimpiyatları – Sarajevo, Bosna Hersek
1984 Yaz Olimpiyatları – Los Angeles, ABD
1985 Turgut Reis 500. doğum yılı gümüş 5.000 Lira ve altın 50.000 Lira
1986 Dünya Futbol Şampiyonası – Meksika (kaktüs figürlü gümüş ve altın, ayrıca futbolcu figürlü gümüş, toplam 3 hatıra para)
1986 Mehmet Akif Ersoy 50. Ölüm Yılı
1987 Ormancılığımızın 130 Yılı, “Yeşili Yaşat, Ormanı Koru” sloganlı biri gümüş, biri altın iki hatıra para
1988 Kış Olimpiyatları – Calgary, Kanada
1988 Yaz Olimpiyatları – Seul, Güney Kore
1988 Mavi Haliç, Büyük İstanbul Çevre Koruma Projesi, altın ve gümüş iki hatıra para
1989 İstanbul Metrosu
1989 Mimar Sinan 400. Anma Yılı (1.000 Liralık küpro-nikel, 20.000 Liralık gümüş ve 200.000 Liralık altın)
1990 Çanakkale Zaferi 75. Yıl gümüş ve altın iki hatıra para
1990 Parlamenter Demokraside 70. Yıl gümüş ve altın iki hatıra para
1990 Dünya Futbol Şampiyonası – İtalya (Romus & Romülüs’ü emziren kurt figürlü ve top süren bir futbolcu desenli iki gümüş para)
1991 Mozart 200. Ölüm Yılı – Saraydan Kız Kaçırma Operası – Topkapı Sarayı
1992 500 Years of Peace and Harmony – Turkish Jews (Sefarad Yahudileri Göçü’nün 500. Yıldönümü, küpronikel, gümüş ve altın)
1992 Cioacchino Rossini 200. Doğum Yılı
1992 Muhsin Ertuğrul 100. Doğum Yılı
1993 Türkiye Kızılay Derneği 125. Yıl (gümüş ve altın iki hatıra para)
1993 Cumhuriyet’in 70. Yılı
1993 Pyotr İliç Çaykovskiy 100. Ölüm Yılı
1994 GAP – Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi
1995 25.000 Lira tedavül
1995 25.000 Lira “Dünya Hoşgörü Yılı”
1995 Piri Reis (Gemiler ve Kaşifler Serisi No: 1) (gümüş ve altın iki hatıra para)
1995 FAO 50. Yıl
1996 Yaz Olimpiyatları – Atlanta, ABD
1996 Nasreddin Hoca – UNESCO Dünya Kahkaha Yılı (*3)
1996 Gümrük Birliği – Customs Union
1996 ECU
1997 Piri Reis (Gemiler ve Kaşifler Serisi No: 2) (1995’teki desen ile aynı ancak daha ufak bir altın para)
1997 Çin Seddi ve Toprak Asker Ordusu (İpek Yolu Serisi No: 1)
1997 Mehmet Akif Ersoy 60. Ölüm Yılı
1997 Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi – 1st World Air Games (Dünya Hava Oyunları,750.000 ve 1.500.000 Liralık iki gümüş *3)
1997 Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa Kaptan-ı Derya (Gemiler ve Kaşifler Serisi No: 3)
1997 Lidya Krallığı Kroisos
1997 Myra’lı Aziz Noel Baba € EURO
1998 Dünya Futbol Şampiyonası – Fransa
1998 Cumhuriyet’in 75. Yılı – Cumhuriyet ve Devrimler (Çağdaş Giyim Kuşam, Şapka Devrimi)
1998 Yaz Olimpiyatları 2000 – Halter
1999 Dünyada İlk Para Lidya (altın para 1997 tarihlidir)
1999 Uygur Bölgesi (İpek Yolu Serisi No: 2)
1999 Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nun Kuruluşunun 700. yılı – Osman Gazi
2000 Bill Clinton’un Ziyareti (gümüş ve bimetal)
2001 Darphane’nin Kuruluşu 1467 Madalyonu
2001 Türkiye’nin Kuşları – Saz Horozu (Porphyrio Porphyrio)
2001 Türkiye’nin Kuşları – Yeşil Arıkuşu (Merops Superciliosus)
His name is first mentioned in Turkish numismatics literature as “Sculptor of the London Mint; Mr. Medkaley“ in the 1955 Catalogue by Turkish numismatist and actor Behzad Butak.
Behzat Butak quotes “Mister Medkaley” from a proceedings report of GNAT (Grand National Assembly of Türkiye) from 1944.
(While the forms of the new Republican gold coins were being discussed, Finance Minister Fuat Ağralı elaborates that Metcalfe was invited for the effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and that he also made an effigy of İsmet İnönü. Upon criticism on why a foreigner was tasked to create the president’s effigy, Metcalfe’s skillset as a coin engraver is emphasized) His name is misspelled most probably due to a transliteration error.
Royal Mint’s involvement with the Turkish coins, dates back to 1933. In September of that year, Deputy Master and Controller of the Royal Mint, Sir Robert Johnson visited Istanbul and the capital Ankara. He had learned that the Turkish Gov’t was planning of minting new coins with the new alphabet, hence he offered Royal Mint’s services to the Turkish Government. But was not successful in securing an order for minting the new coins. However, the relations between the two mints remained active and Percy Metcalfe visited Turkey in 1935 (*Royal Mint Annual Report of 1934, Page 17).
He was meant to produce an effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, however he was requested to work on designs for the whole set of six coins.
Obverse with effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk used on 50 and 25 Kurus silver coins released in 1935, and 1 Lira released in 1937
Reverse of 1 Lira released in 1937
Reverse of the silver 50 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the silver 25 Kuruş from 1935
Obverse of the cupronickel small change (10, 5 and 1 Kuruş) released in 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 10 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 5 Kuruş from 1935
Reverse of the cupronickel 1 Kuruş from 1935
Turkish circulation coins that bear Metcalfe’s designs:
50 Kuruş 1935 ~1937
25 Kuruş 1935 ~1946 (The 25 Kr pieces minted between 1944 to 1946 retained the same reverse as Metcalfe designed, however their obverse was changed to a crescent and star)
10 Kuruş 1935 ~1940
5 Kuruş 1935 ~1943
1 Kuruş 1935 ~1944 (after 1938, these coins were converted into an undulated form)
1 Lira 1937 ~ 1939
1 Lira 1940 ~ 1941
Metcalfe’s family donated some of his work to the British Museum. Among those, there are the early drafts of the 1935 coins’ designs:
The newspapers of the period, indicate that several coin designs were considered at the time. 50 Kr piece was initially a variant of the 1934 100 Kr piece by Ali Cemal Bey. However, eventually Metcalfe’s designs were used; probably for consistency within the set.
Milliyet newspaper – 11 September 1933
Newspaper dated 16-08-1935, a second type of coins designed by a British Specialist. This unnamed specialist is Metcalfe
Newspaper from 11-09-1935 shows both effigies and reverses made by Ali Cemal (50 Kr), and those by Metcalfe (25 Kr)
Newspaper from 11-09-1935 shows the reverses of 25 Kr by Metcalfe and those of 50 Kr modelled after 100 Kr of the previous year.
Cumhuriyet from 28-09-1935 shows models of a 10 Para coin made after the design of the 10 Kr piece
RMAC papers of the Royal Mint have a record of a 1 Lira model depicting a stylized art-deco wolf from 1935. Around that time, the denomination of 100 Kurus was being changed as 1 Lira.
model dated 09-10-1935 bearing an art-deco grey wolf (Royal Mint Museum Archive)
electro model of the1935 grey wolf 1 Lira (Royal Mint Museum Archive)
plaster model bearing an art-deco grey wolf (Royal Mint Museum Archive)
The models of the said design are kept by the Royal Mint Museum archives. Records show that it was criticised in-house (RMAC Papers dated 31/10/1935) and was minted only in a couple of samples for the evaluation.
Grey Wolf was indeed a Turkish symbol and was used on some of the first banknotes. It was even considered to be a main figure as an emblem for the Turkish Republic. However, Atatürk rejected that idea, hence such coins were never minted.
Royal Mint Annual Report of 1938 also mentions (*page 16) that Metcalfe won a contest for the new gold coins’ design but Sir Johnson states that he believes after Ataturk’s death those coins would probably not be minted.
İsmet İnönü Portrait by Percy Metcalfe (Royal Mint Museum Archive)
İsmet İnönü Portrait by Percy Metcalfe (Royal Mint Museum Archive)
1939 Commemorative Medal for Inauguration of Erzurum Train Station
İnönü portrait used on 1940 1 Lira silver coins
İnönü portrait used on 1943 gold coins
Form comparison between 1938 second type 1 Kr and Egyptian 5 Milliemmes
1 Kurus pieces minted between 1938 and 1944, were in an undulated form so that they wouldn’t be confused with the silver 25 Kr pieces of the same diameter. Said coins resemble the coins of Iraq and Egypt, which were made by Metcalfe. This could be interpreted as the cooperation between the British and the Turkish Mints was still active at the time.
Percy Metcalfe, served in the Royal Mint from 1924 to 1948. Effigies of King George VI and many other nations’ rulers were his handywork. among his most famous were the Barnyard Set made for Free Irish State.
As a new dominion, Free Irish State considered having its own currency. For this purpose, an international competition was held in 1926. among 66 submissions, Metcalfe’s designs were selected. The animals, which some are related to hunting and some to farming, were assigned face value based on their status; the horse being the noblest and the woodcock being the humblest.
At first there was significant criticism that a nation seeking independence from the English rule is now going forward with coins “designed by an Englishman, denominated in the English way, and made at the English mint“. However, as Nobel laureate Yeats puts it “the coins have been designed to please those who look longer at each coin than anybody else; artists and children”, hence they were universally admired.
Coin set of Free Irish State; woodcock (farthing), pig and piglets (halfpenny), hen and chicks (penny), hare (threepence), wolfhound (sixpence), bull (shilling), salmon (florin) and horse (half crown). Collectively known as the Barnyard Collection
During his time at the Royal Mint, with the reputation he gained from the Free Irish State coinage and the support from Sir Robert Johnson, Percy Metcalfe produced many models for various countries. Some of these are; Mihai the 1st of Romania, Boris the 3rd of Bulgaria, Faisal and Ghazi of Iraq, Fuad and Farouq of Egypt, Demeter and Poseidon portraits on the Greek coins of 1930.
Early model of Faysal of Iraq in traditional headdress
Fuad of Egypt
commemorative medal by Percy Metcalfe for Fuad of Egypt visiting UK
Romanian King Mihai the first
Greek 10 Drachmai coin depicting Demeter
Greek 20 Drachmai coin depicting Poseidon
Faisal of Iraq without the head dress
Bulgarian 100 Leva of 1934
Obverse bearing the portrait of Boris the 3rd used on Bulgarian 100 and 50 Leva silver coins of 1934
Ghazi of Iraq
King George VI coronation medallion
Farouq of Egypt
Article main photo; Percy Metcalfe working on plaster model of Boris the 3rd of Bulgaria Photo: HenryMooreInstitute
*We would like to thank World of Coins forum users <k>, africancoins and forum admin Peter Kraneveld for providing the fundamental lead on Percy Metcalfe’s contributions to the Turkish coins and also David Mason, Public Engagement & Information Officer and other staff of the Royal Mint Museum who provided invaluable information on Metcalfe’s work within their archives.
Designer of the last coins of the Ottoman Empire and also the first coin series of the Turkish Republic minted between 1924 – 1928.
Also known as Mesrur İzzet Bey, he has been serving the Istanbul Mint since 1905 and is also the designer of the Turkish Medal of Independance.
Has studied sculpture in Fine Arts School (later called “Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, today named Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University).
He has worked on several fields such as sculpture, paintings, philately and numismatics, and has designed a significant amount of medals for various establishments.
10 Para 1936 (This smallest denomination coin was exempt from the contests of 1934, first drafts were announced in 1934. Newspapers and the magazines published photo of the models but it was introduced into circulation firstly in 1940.
2005 Yılı 50 Yeni Kuruş (New Kurus) obverse bearing Atatürk facing right is also based on a reused model from his works of 1933.
His life and works are published in detail in a two volume book by Celil Ender & Orhan Okay (2003 & 2004 Turkish Numismatics Society Publications)
Ahmet Mesrur Durum (aka Mesrur İzzet) right
Aksam Newspaper from 9th of May 1937, the 10 Para coin model can be seen
