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 was released into circulation.)
Born in 1947 in Şebinkarahisar, Giresun, and working at the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye between 1977 and 2003, the first work of the engraving artist Şükrü Ertürk was the composition of children offering flowers to Atatürk on the back of the 7th issue 10 Lira banknotes printed in 1979, the International Year of Children.
Later, he produced many landscapes and patterns such as the Mehmet Akif Ersoy portrait, the Mevlana Museum on the 7th issue 5,000 Lira banknotes, and the view of the ancient city of Ephesus using the intaglio (taille-douce) technique, which is directly hand-engraved on copper or steel plates.
7. Emisyon 10 Lira arka yüzü, Atatürk’e çiçek sunan çocuklar.
7. Emisyon 1. tertip 5000 Lira Mevlana Müzesi
7. emisyon 100 Lira Mehmed Akif Ersoy
7E 100000 Lira Samsun Onur Anıtı
Yedinci emisyon banknotlarda kullanılan Atatürk portresi
Sukru Erturk, who was an observer in the production process of the plates of 100,000 Lira banknotes ordered abroad, produced a portrait of Ataturk on tracing paper in 17 days, when he returned to Ankara, he transferred the portrait onto a steel mold over a period of 4 months, working 4 to 5 hours a day.
The portrait was based on a photograph taken by Cemal Isiksel and a result of a through and detailed archive study. It was later used on banknotes of 100,000 to 20,000,000 Lira value of the 7th emission. He also engraved the portrait used on the 50 and 100 Lira banknotes of the 8th emission.
The engraver, who produced 15 separate Atatürk portraits for the Banknote Printing House, has his name engraved as Ş.ERTÜRK on some of the engravings used on the banknotes. (*42, p. 144 & 177).
Şükrü Ertürk, who studied at Sivas High School, continued his education at the Department of Art and Craft Teaching at the Gazi Education Institute in 1966. After working as an art teacher at the Diyarbakır Dicle Primary School between 1969 and 1971. He worked as an assistant at the Gazi Education Institute Art and Craft Department between 1974 and 1977.
Şükrü Ertürk, who met with executives of the Banknote Printing House who Gazi Education Institute in 1976, learned that the printing house needed an engraving artists. Later he passed the admission exams and started working as an engraving artist at the Banknote Printing House.
In 1986, he visited the workshop of Prof. Trento Cionini, who produced the portraits on Italian banknotes, with Mustafa Çakırcalı. Prof. Cionini was also an apprentice of Mario Baiardi. Sukru Erturk speaks of about Baiardi: “I never met him, but the engraving portraits he made became my second teacher.”
Şükrü Ertürk 2002 Banknot Matbaası Atölyesinde
The artist also created the designs for many stamps.
1995 Türk Dünyası Değerleri – Manas Destanı’nın 1000. Yılı – Abay Kunanbay
1996 postage stamps FDC Atatürk portrait
1996, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulu 100000 Lira
1996, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulu 50000 Lira
1998 Atatürk portreli sürekli posta pulları
Şükrü Ertürk tells about the first time a picture he drew was used on a stamp:
“I was in the senior year of Sivas High School in 1966. My art teacher Emrullah Bulurman came to me and tasked me to draw the Şifahiye Madrasah. I was so excited that I even forgot about the final exams in the first days of June. My drawing would be printed on a stamp, so I was overjoyed. I climbed atop the balcony of Çifte Minaret across from Şifahiye Madrasah and made a draft drawing. Then I made a clean copy, found my art teacher, and together we went to Sivas Governor Vefik Kitapçıgil. The governor offered us tea. I don’t remember what else he said. Then My teacher and I left the office.
…
Later when I was in the second year of Gazi Education Institute in 1967, I attended the meeting of the Ankara Sivas Association. I learned from the association president that they had printed a stamp for Şifahiye Madrasah. The next day, I went to the big post office in Ulus and inquired about the stamp. They forwarded it to the relevant unit. I bought 5 stamps. Finally I had one in my hand.
I learned about the First Day Cover and other detils during my duty at the Banknote Printing House when I was the representative in PTT’s stamp competitions. The stamp department manager Halil Say, whom I love very much, had these stamps made for me. I remember him with respect and gratitude.
I met Metin Bey, who worked in the film department at the Ajans Türk Printing House where the stamp was printed. When my drawing was reduced to the size of the stamp, many fine lines could not be printed. I had no knowledge of stamp printing when I made the drawing. Metin Bey retouched these lines. I wish him a healthy life if he is alive and mercy if he has passed away.”
Şükrü Ertürk defines banknotes as “functional printwork” and he has also been working on exlibris since 1997. He has produced bookplates for Prof. Hasip Pektaş, Müjde Ayan, Luc van den Briele, Benoit Junod and Prof. Dr. Aziz Sancar. The most prominent element in his exlibris, which have similarities with banknote portraiture, is the portrait of the owner.
Click for the Bulgarian Exlibris competition website, where he won an award in 2014.
Click on the image below for the exlibris works in the Frederikshavn Art Museum inventory
Şükrü Ertürk exlibris
* Click here for other artists whose patterns are included in the design of Turkish coins.
(We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the artist who contributed to this compilation with valuable details)
[1]The graphic design of the background compositions of the stamps in the series and also the portraits of Haldun Taner and Bedia Muvahhit are the work of Mustafa Çakırcalı (stamp images courtesy of Pulhane.com).
Selahattin Tuğa, one of the engraving artists of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, has his name imprinted as S.TUĞA on the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk portrait and the Bosphorus view on the sixth issue 1.000 Lira banknotes. (*42, p 133).
6. Emission 1.000 TL front
6. Emission 1.000 TL back
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk portrait on the E6 1.000 Lira banknote
Bosphorus Strait, the first bridge and the Rumelian Fortress on the back of the E6 1.000 Lira banknote
E6 1.000 TL “S.TUGA” engraving on the portrait
E6 1.000 TL “S.TUGA” detail on the back of the banknote
He is also the engraver who produced the Atatürk portraits on the seventh-edition 10 Lira and 5.000 Lira banknotes.
E7 10 Lira Mustafa Kemal Atatürk portresi
E7 1st version 5.000 Lira, portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Selahattin Tuğa was born in Diyarbakır in 1945. He completed his primary and secondary education in Diyarbakır and graduated from the Decorative Arts Department of the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts in 1966.
As a student at the academy, he engraved pictures and portraits on copper plates. Due to these engravings, he was recommended to the Banknot Printing House engraving workshop and after the entrance exam, he started working at the CBRT Banknot Printing House engraving workshop in 1966. During his internship, he received his first information about the taydus (taille-douce, soft carving) engraving technique from Polish engraving artist Jan Piwczyk.
Instead of direct engraving by hand, he transferred the linear portraits onto copper plates via a photomechanical method, etched them with acid and used the deepening method with engraving pens.
In the second half of the 1970s, he made the engraving of the portrait of Atatürk on the front of the E-6 series 1.000 TL banknote, and the Rumelian Fortress Bosphorus view on the back, including the Bosphorus Bridge. The graphic design of the banknote was made by Mustafa Üstün.
When preparations for the E-7 series small-sized banknotes began in 1978, he produced the Atatürk portrait on the 10 Lira and 5.000 TL banknotes of the of the E-7 series.
In 1985, he made the front and back graphic designs of the second series of the E-7 5,000 TL. He served as assistant manager between 1979 and 1990 and then served as a consultant until his retirement.
Selahattin Tuğa, who also designed countless National Lottery tickets, is also the designer and engraver of many stamps *1. Atatürk portraits on stamps of various years, the portrait of İsmet İnönü, and the “Turkish Celebrities” series of 1992 and 1993 are few of many.
1970 ANKARA 70 Posta Pulları III. Milli Sergisi
1971 Sakarya Zaferinin 50. Yılı konulu Anma Pulu
1975 tarihli, Atatürk portreli, 10 Lira valörlü sürekli posta pulu
1977, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulları
1978, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulları
1979 Dünya Çocuk Yılı
1980 100 Lira valörlü Atatürk portreli sürekli posta pulu
1980 Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulu 7,5 Lira
1981, Atatürk portreli 2,5 Lira valörlü posta pulu
1984 – İsmet İnönü’nün Doğumunun 100. Yılı – 20 Lira valörlü pul
1985, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulları
1992, Türk Meşhurları – Aşık Veysel Şatırdoğlu
1992, Türk Meşhurları – Muhsin Ertuğrul
1992, Türk Meşhurları – Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı (Halikamas Balıkçısı)
1992, Türk Meşhurları – Sait Faik Abasıyanık
1992, Türk Meşhurları – Fikret Mualla Saygı
1993, Cumhuriyet’in 70. Yılı
1993, Türk Meşhurları – Hacı Arif Bey
1993, Türk Meşhurları – Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı
1993, Türk Meşhurları – Münir Nurettin Selçuk
1993, Türk Meşhurları – Neyzen Tevfik
1993, Türk Meşhurları – Orhan Veli Kanık
1994, Atatürk Konulu Sürekli Posta Pulları
1994 Sürekli Pullu ilk gün zarfından Atatürk portresi
In addition to these works, he engraved portraits on copper plates on decorative items. He also made watercolor paintings of the subjects on the front of the National Lottery tickets, and supervised the color separation, mold and printing stages of these tickets printed in the banknote printing house.
Selahattin Tuğa, who exhibited Atatürk portrait engravings and oil paintings in his personal exhibitions, passed away in 2023.
10 Şubat – 6 Mart 1998 Destek Reasürans Sanat Galerisi Yağlıboya Resim Sergisi davetiyesi
10 Şubat – 6 Mart 1998 Destek Reasürans Sanat Galerisi Yağlıboya Resim Sergisi davetiyesi _SALT Research
(We would like to express our sincere thanks to his family and also to Mr. Mustafa Çakırcalı, who provided valuable information about Selahattin Tuğa in our article.)
* Click for other artists whose work has been used in the design of Turkish currency.
Isa Avni Kumuk, was born in 1934 in Samsun to a family of Caucasian descent. He was involved with his family business of jevellry-making at the early age of six. He was quite interested and competent in maths during elementary school and and was even nicknamed Pisagor (Pythagoras). after his graduation from high school in 1953, he started his own workshop at the Grand Bazaar as a jevellry-maker and engraver. He was admitted to Istanbul Technical University as the 12th applicant.
He worked for the Turkish State Mint between 1964 and 1976 first as a technical personnel, later as the head of engraving workshop and technical consultant. During his service, he was appointed to examine the Spoonmaker’s Diamond to authenticate and measure its dimensions.
He designed many circulation and commemorative coins after 1970. His technique was compared to Giampaoli‘s.
50 Kurus piece released in 1971 was his handiwork. After visiting an exhibition of traditional Anatolian clothes, administrators of the mint asked him to come up with a portrait of a woman in traditional Anatolian head dress. The owner of said exhibition Sabiha Tansug was photographed in the Ankara Headpiece, but in order not to portrait any significant person, Avni Kumuk cut out her face and completed the portrait with an imaginary average Turkish woman.
1970 50th Anniversary of the GNAT Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
1970 50th Anniversary of the GNAT Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. The First parliament building
FAO design used on various coins. Ataturk driving a tractor with the motto that reads “plow is mightier than the sword”
Alparslan; the second sultan of the Seljuk Empire on the obverse of the silver coin commemorating 900 years of the Battle of Manzikert
Reverse of the silver coin commemorating 900 years of the Battle of Manzikert. Rays coming out of Battleground, westward into Anatolia
Obverse of 5 Lira coins from 1974, depicting Ataturk on his horse from the statue in Samsun
portrait of an Anatolian woman wearing traditional headdress, used on several coins starting with 50 Kr of 1971
50th anniversary of the Battle of Dumlupınar. Obverse depicts Atatürk on horseback
50th anniversary of the Battle of Dumlupınar. Reverse depicts a scene from the battle ground
50th anniversary of the Republic; 1973. Obverse of the silver 50 and 100 Lira coins
50th anniversary of the Republic; 1973. Obverse of the gold 500 Lira coin
50th anniversary of the Republic; 1973. Reverse design of all three coins of the set
FAO Family Planning – Food for everyone
FAO Development of the villager women
FAO Development of the villager women
FAO Ornament of women should be culture and virtue
Around 1976, the head of the State mint – also a prominent poet Cemal Süreya – was instructed to decommission old machinery of the mint. Avni Kumuk convinced him to keep the machinery for display.
After his work at the Mint had ended, in 1982, he started his own company called International Goldart İstanbul, and produced over 700 medals, badges, pins and emblems ordered by several private companies and Turkish Numismatics Association. He received several awards by Turkish and international, private and public institutions.
Commemorative and circulation coins he designed and produced:
1970:
25 Lira silver coin commemorating the 50th anniversary of the TBMM – Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Acmonital 2½ Lira with the obverse bearing Ataturk on a tractor; minted part of the FAO programme.
1971:
50 Lira silver coin commemorating 900 years of Battle of Manzikert
Bronze 10 Kr, Ataturk on a tractor; part of FAO programme,
Acmonital 50 Kr circulation piece with a woman wearing Anatolian headdrress.
1972:
silver 50 Lira commemorating 50th anniversary of the Victory of August the 30th
golden medals commemorating victory of Battle of Dumlupınar
1973:
50 and 100 Lira silver and 500 Lira gold coins commemorating 50th anniversary of the Republic
1974:
5 Lira circulation piece bearing Ataturk’s statue in Samsun
1975:
Aluminium 5 Kurus part of FAO programme
1976:
Aluminium 5 and 10 Kr and acmonital 5 Lira of the FAO series
1978:
FAO acmonital 50 Kurus, 1 and 2½ Lira
FAO acmonital 5 Lira and silver 150 Lira
FAO gold 500 Lira,
FAO gold 1.000 Lira
1979:
FAO bronze and aluminium 1 Kuruş
FAO acmonital 50 Kuruş and 1 Lira,
FAO acmonital 2½ and 5, also silver 150 Lira
FAO gold 500 Lira,
FAO gold 1.000 Lira,
1980:
FAO bronze 10, acmonital 50 Kurus and 1 Lira,
FAO gold 500 Lira
Some of the medals he produced:
for the Turkish Armed Forces:
First and Second degree Honour Medals
First and Second degree Pride Medals
Medal of Distinguished Service
First and Second degree War Medals
Emblem of the Turkish Army (Turkish Land Forces)
Turkish Army commemorative medallion
for various establishments:
commemorative medallion for the 500th anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople / İstanbul
commemorative medallion for the inauguration of 15 July Martyrs Bridge (named Bosphorus Bridge when first opened)
commemorative medallion for the inauguration of Haliç (Golden Horn) Bridge
medallion commemorating Saudi King Faisal’s visit to Türkiye
medallion commemorating Islamic Conference in Istanbul
Rumelian Fortress restoration medal depicting Mehmed 2nd, the Conqueror
Rumelian Fortress restoration medal depicting the fortress
medallion commemorating the 50th anniversary of Battle of Dumlupınar; Mustafa Kemal depicted on the battle day
medallion commemorating the 50th anniversary of Battle of Dumlupınar; Krippel’s Monument of Great Triumph
1971, 900 years of Basttle of Manzikert, effigy of Alparslan
1971, 900 years of Basttle of Manzikert, a scene from the battlefield
1976 Ziya Gokalp commemorative medallion
1976 Ziya Gokalp commemorative medallion; scene from the legend of Ergenekon; the blacksmith who melts a passage through the mountain, and the gray she wolf Asena, leading the way
1978 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating the first Turkish Numismatist Abdullatif Suphi Pasa
1978 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating the first Turkish Numismatist Abdullatif Suphi Pasa
1978 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating 50th anniversary of the alphabet reform
1978 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating 50th anniversary of the alphabet reform
1979 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating Numismatist Halil Edhem Eldem
1979 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating Numismatist Halil Edhem Eldem
1980 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating Avicenna
1980 Turkish Numismatics Association medal commemorating Avicenna
Ataturk’s 100th birthday Canada – Türkiye friendship medallion
Ataturk’s 100th birthday Canada – Türkiye friendship medallion
1981 Eskisehir Tourism Association, Yunus Emre Culture and Arts Festival
1981 Eskisehir Tourism Association, Yunus Emre Culture and Arts Festival
Sakıp Sabancı
Commemorative gold medallion
medal promoting the campaign for a new naval frigate
Avni Kumuk was also interested in painting, he was not only a skillful artist, but also a competent engineer. After the intervention to Cyprus by Turkey in 1974, he contributed to complicated parts the defence industry needed and that had to be domestically produced.
He was a member of the industrial advisory committee of ITU Mechanical Engineering Faculty. He assisted many public and private companies with their intricate designs of parts and dyes.
Father of 2 sons, Avni Kumuk worked until his last minute with the principle of giving back to the society.
Giampaoli was as a consultant to the Turkish State Mint and was the designer of the Ataturk effigy on the coins starting with the 1 Lira of 1957.
Same portrait was also used on the 10 Lira of 1960 silver commmemorative 10 Lira pieces.also on the 25.000.000 coin minted in 1998 as part of the 75th anniversary of the republic(*27, Page. 183).
He worked at the Italian Mint between 1936 and 1963. designed many Italian coins as well as medals and coins for Vatican, San Marino and Malta. He consulted Germany, France, Spain, Israel and Tunisia.
In 1957 he was invited to Turkey for renewing the coinage. He studied the works in the museums and monuments of Ankara and Istanbul for inspiration. Rather recent auction pieces indicate that he also worked on 25 Kuruş coins bearing Ataturk’s portrait but eventually the figure of an Anatolian woman carrying an artillery shell was used for those coins. His signature in its Latinized form (J. Pavlvs) can be seen below the portrait.
Coins to be ReplacedAccording to Law #6797 that came into effect some time ago to prevent the shortage of coins in circulation, the Ministry of Finance has begun operations to issue new coins to the market as soon as possible. All coins currently in circulation will be replaced, and 250, 100, 25, 14, 10, 5, and 1 kuruş denominations will be introduced. According to the information provided, the new coins will have some new features.
The size of the coins will vary according to their value, and those up to 25 kuruş will be made of bronze.
The metal from which the 250 and 100 kuruş coins will be made is not yet decided.
One side of the coins will feature a profile of Atatürk, the other side will feature symbols of historical or national days, and smaller coins will feature examples of our national products and Turkish decorative arts. Meanwhile, Italian Pietro Giampoali, who has so far prepared French, German, Belgian, Spanish and Vatican coins and medals, has been invited to our country and has begun his preparations. The artist’s first research locations have been the museums in Ankara and Istanbul. He is also busy studying Atatürk from existing medals and sculptures.
25 Kurus trial strike signed J. Pavlvs, bearing effigy of Ataturk
It should be safe to assume that he is responsible for the designs of coins produced at least until 1964 when Avni Kumuk started to work for the Turkish State Mint. The similarity between the 5 Kuruş piece from 1958 and the Italian 20 Lire coin of the previous year is strong evidence to this assumption.
Italian 20 Lire coin from 1957 by Giampaoli
5 Kuruş coin of 1958
Obverse of 25 Kurus of 1959. a symbolic Anatolian woman carrying an artillery shell. commemorating the hardships of the War of Independance
Obverse of two and a half Lira of 1960. Mustafa Kemal as Commander in Chief at the hill Kocatepe during Battle of Dumlupınar
Effigy of Ataturk on silver 10 Lira commemorating 27 May 1960
Reverse of the silver 10 Lira commemorating 27 May 1960
There are auto-portraits of Giampaoli on medals(*1) where his name is Latinified. The page describes his reasoning for using thistle on his self medals as “In the language of flowers and plants, the thistle symbolizes solitude and isolation and this meaning is due to the tendency of this plant to grow in inaccessible places. An ability to make one’s way through difficulties – yet “not without effort”, indeed.”
Pietro Giampaoli – Joannes Pavlvs
PROCVL. PROFANIS (Far from the ordinary)
Joannes Pavlvs – Pietro Giampaoli
NON SINE LABORE (Not without labour)
His brother Celestino Giampaoli also was affiliated with the Turkish State Mint (*2) during the period which acmonital (Acciaio Monetario Italiano / Italian monetary steel) was used for Turkish coins. It is a variant of stainless steel that is harder than silver or cupronickel hence requires specific machinery and expertize for processing.
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 emphasised) 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.
In the 20th issue of the Anatolian Numismatic Bulletin, Mr. Nurüddin Gürpınar, in his article titled “Cumhuriyet Altınlarımız” (Our Republic Gold Coins), also provides information about the artist whose name was mentioned during the Turkish Grand National Assembly discussions regarding the Gold Coins bearing the effigy of President İsmet İnönü.
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.
Ismail Hasim was one of the Turkish State Mint engravers who was sent to London in 1927 to assist with the newly printed Turkish Banknotes at Thomas de la Rue. He and calligrapher Ahmet was among the team sent along Ali Sami Boyar (*1).
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 Independence.
He studied sculpture at the Fine Arts School (later called “Istanbul Fine Arts Academy, today named Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University).
He has worked in several fields, including sculpture, painting, philately, and numismatics, and has designed a significant amount of medals for various establishments.
1 Lira (bullion Gold, Monnaies de Luxe) 1927 ~1928
2,5 Lira (Ankara Gold Bullion) 1926 ~1929
2,5 Lira (bullion Gold, Monnaies de Luxe) 1927 ~1928
5 Lira (Ankara Gold Bullion) 1925 ~1929
5 Lira (bullion gold, Monnaies de Luxe) 1927 ~1928
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
10 Para obverse
10 Para reverse
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.