Tag: tulip

Ahmet Şimşek

Cumhuriyet ve Gençlik – Ahmet Şimşek

Ahmet Şimşek won the coin design competition in 1998, which was held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. His winning design was used for the silver coin titled ‘Republic and Youth.’

The composition features a girl and a boy, holding an olive branch and a torch, positioned alongside Atatürk’s profile, facing right. Surrounding the central design, decorations made of ears of wheat form part of a gearwheel that spans three-quarters of the circumference.

 

 

 

 

A set of seven coins was released in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Republic of Türkiye.

A golden coin called “Republic 75” was a collective design. Effigy of Atatürk is the work of Pietro Giampaoli from the 50’ies.

Other coins were made in silver:

Milenyum 2000 yarışma ikincisi; Ahmet Şimşek

He attended another contest and won second place with his Millennium coin.

Two doves cuddling around a globe, forming a tulip outline.

(Other two winners of the Millenium Competition are Ayşe Şirin and Tan Mavitan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahmet Şimşek also attended the coin design competition of 2006. The contest theme was Newroz (Spring Equinox) Celebrations.

Although he was announced to share the second place with Buket Esener, his design was not used on the coin (One side of the coin bears the design of Buket Esener and the other side bears the design of Betül Uğurlu).

Mustafa Üstün

Mustafa Ustun has graphic designs on the front and back of the 6th Emission 1.000 Lira, and the front of the E7 1.000 TL. He also designed the back side of the E-7 series 5.000 TL 1st type banknote, that was put into circulation in 1979. Ataturk portrait on both banknotes is engraved by Selahattin Tuga. Mevlana engraving on the back of the 5.000 Lira is the handiwork of Şükrü Ertürk.

One of the graphic designs he made in previous years was transformed into the front face design of the seventh issue 100 TL in 1983.

Born in Akseki district of Antalya towards the end of the 1930s, Mustafa Üstün graduated from Antalya Aksu Primary Teachers School and then studied at the Ankara Gazi Education Institute Painting-Work Department. Then he began teaching art. In the meantime, he made graphic designs for diplomas and similar documents printed at the Apa Ofset Printing House founded by Ferit Apa, a graphics teacher at the Gazi Education Institute.

In the early 1960s, upon Ferit Apa’s recommendation, he started working at the banknote printing house painting workshop. Then, he completed his undergraduate studies at the Kassel Fine Arts School in Germany and received a graphic designer diploma. During his internship at the Austrian state printing house, he acquired information about banknote graphic design and engraving in the taydus technique.

He made graphic designs for some stamps:

  • 1970 United Nations 25th Anniversary 220 Kurus value stamp
  • 1970 “Ankara 70 Postage Stamps Turkey 3rd National Exhibition” commemorative block with tulip motif
  • 1971 Izmir Mediterranean Games 100 Kr
  • 1983 World Communication Year 70 TL value stamp

He designed banknote graphic designs of the Service Souvenir certificates of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye. Also valuable papers such as checks and treasury bonds. He worked as Assistant Manager at the Banknote Printing House between 1983 and 1990, then was hired as a consultant and retired a few years later.

(We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Mustafa Çakırcalı, who contributed to our article with valuable information about Mustafa Üstün)

 

* Click for other artists who contributed to the design of Turkish currency.

[1] stamp images source Pulhane.com
[2] banknote images source CBRT Virtual Museum