Seçkin Pirim, is the winner of the coin design contest of 1998, made in partnership with the TEMA Foundation to increase awareness on erosion.
The coin depicts trunks of five trees on a background of cracked and cleft soil, symbolizing fifth anniversary of the TEMA Foundation. Leaves form a wreath referring to the sorrow of erosion; death of the land. The inscription over the leaves read “TÜRKİYE ÇÖL OLMASIN” (Türkiye / Turkey, Should Not Be Allowed to Become a Desert) the motto of the foundation.
This commemorative was minted in two types; one silver and one bronze. The first one was presented to Mr. Hayrettin Karaca – the president and founder of the TEMA Foundation (*28, p. 2)
Seçkin Pirim also participated in the competition of commemorative for the 34. World Chess Olimpiads in 2000. His submissions were awarded with mentions. (Said coin was minted with the designs of Necmi Özgür and Beti Cenudioğlu)
Övgüye layık
Teşekkür’e layık
Teşekkür’e layık
The artist was born in 1977, and graduated Istanbul Anatolian Fine Arts High School in 1995 and completed his masters degree on Sculting at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts in 2001.
Abdullah Tasci and his professor Namik Bayik created the patterns for the majority of the coins of the 1982 Spain FIFA World Cup Commemorative Coins series. (One coin of the set of four pieces was designed mint sculptor Suat Ozyonum.)
1982 Spain World Football Championship gold 5000 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship gold 5000 TL – Reverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship silver 500 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship silver 500 TL – Reverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship cupronickel 100 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship cupronickel 100 TL – Reverse
He enrolled the Academy of Fine Arts in 1967, and graduated the Graphical Arts Faculty in 1972.
He became assistant professor in 1982 with his thesis titled “Graphic Layout and Contemporary Book Graphics in Turkish Manuscripts” under Prof. Emin Barın. He tought at the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts until his reitrement in 1999. Afterwards he tought at Maltepe University between 2000 and 2007, and at Dogus University between 2007 and 2020.
He created the logo still used by the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, designed 8 font families, and translated around 1.000 fonts into Turkish.
Namik Bayik and his student Abdullah Tasci created the patterns for the majority of the coins of the 1982 Spain FIFA World Cup Commemorative Coins series. (One coin of the set of four pieces was designed mint sculptor Suat Ozyonum.)
1982 Spain World Football Championship gold 5000 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship gold 5000 TL – Reverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship silver 500 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship silver 500 TL – Reverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship cupronickel 100 TL – Obverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship cupronickel 100 TL – Reverse
1982 Spain World Football Championship (II) silver 500 TL – Obverse by Suat Ozyonum
1982 Spain World Football Championship (II) silver 500 TL – Reverse by Suat Ozyonum
Etem Çalışkan, another student of Prof. Emin Barın and Namik Bayik, designed the commemorative coins for the centenary of Atatürk’s birth.
Etem Caliskan is the artist who created the designs of the silver and gold coins commemorating the Centenary of Ataturk’s birth. (relief and models were made by the State Mint sculptor Hakkı Baha Cavusgil).
1981, Centenary of Ataturk’s birth gold coin reverse
1981, Centenary of Ataturk’s birth gold coin obverse
1981, 100th anniversary of Ataturk’s birth silver coins reverse
1981, Centenary of Ataturk’s birth silver One Lira obverse
1981, 100th anniversary of Ataturk’s birth silver Half Lira obverse
The artist studied at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts, as a sudent of Prof. Emin Barın (who designed the circulation coins of 1947) and also Prof. Namık Bayık who designed some of the 1982 commemoratives for World Football Cup.
Born in 1928 in Tarsus – Göçük. Studied in Mersin during his elementary and middle school. Enrolled Academy of Fine Arts, Poster Department for higher education.
Studied pattern under Prof. Sabri Berkel, typography under Prof. Emin Barın, poster design and graphics under Prof. Namık Bayık.
Assisted Prof Emin Barin during construction of Anitkabir (Ataturk’s Mosoleum) as they were tasked with inscribing significant panels and walls.
Worked for various newspapers such as Zafer, Öncü, Dünya, Aksam, Milliyet, Hürriyet, starting at Sabah in 1954 as an illustrator and calligrapher. Designed numerous book covers, posters; most notably the ones for the centenary of Atatürk’s birth.”
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)
Born in 1951, the artist enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in 1974. With encouragement from his professors Şadi Çalık and Hüseyin Gezer, he started working for the State Mint in 1977. However, he shortly quit to focus on his studies.
One year after graduating from the academy in 1980, he was invited by the State Mint and so he joined the staff. In 1986 he was sent to Italian Mint in Rome on a five-month programme to study contemporary coin making techniques.
He retired from the Turkish State Mint in 2006.
Exhibitions he took part in:
1976 – Participated in the Open-Air Painting Exhibition at the Archaeological Museums.
1978 – Took part in the YDGSA Higher Sculpture Department Student Group Exhibition.
1978 – Participated in the State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition.
1979 – Opened his first solo sculpture exhibition at Nur Art Gallery.
1979 – Participated in the State Painting and Sculpture Exhibition.
1979 – Took part in the 2nd Art Festival events.
1981 – Participated in the 3rd Istanbul Art Festival “New Trends” Exhibition.
1981 – Joined the contemporary mixed sculpture exhibition at Maçka Art Gallery.
1981 – Took part in the mixed painting and sculpture exhibition at Moda Fine Arts Gallery.
1984 – Participated in the 12th International Istanbul Festival “Contemporary Artists 5th Istanbul Exhibition.”
1993 – Held a Unique Medallion and Sculpture Exhibition at Sadberk Hanım Museum.
1994 – Opened a sculpture exhibition at Foks Art Gallery.
2001 – Participated in the exhibition “Meeting with Sculpture on the 78th Anniversary of the Republic” at Akbank Art Center.
Awards he received:
1979 – Received First Prize in the Osman Hamdi Sculpture Competition.
1987 – Received two honorable mentions in the State Medals and Orders competition organized by the Prime Ministry.
Coins he designed and engraved during his tenure at the State Mint:
FAO design used on 1977 2,5, 5 and 50 lira pieces. the tag line reads; “Herkese Ekmek ve Konut” (Food and housing for everyone)
1981 IYDP International Year of Disabled People gold commemorative coin
1977 FAO Food and Shelter for Everyone acmonital 2½ and 5 Lira and a silver commemorative coin with face value of 50 Lira
1981 International Year of Disabled People gold 30.000 Lira
1983 60th anniversary of the Turkish Republic obverse bearing effigy of Atatürk
1983 FAO World Food Day
1983 FAO 16th October World Food Day, silver 1.500 Lira
1983 60th anniversary of the Turkish Republic commemorative coin (the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk) *1)
1984 1 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1984 5 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1984 10 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1984 50 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1984 100 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1984 United Nations, Decade for Women silver and gold commemoratives
1984 50th anniversary of Turkish Women obtaining the right to vote and the right to run for office
1984 20 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1985 25 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1985 FAO 9th World Forestry Conference Mexico
1985 World Youth Year
1989 Teachers Day 24th of November
1986 International Year of Peace, gold and silver commemoratives
1987 International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
1988 50 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
1988 100 Lira commemorative coin; Mexico strike the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk (*2)
1989 500 Lira circulation coin; the obverse bearing the effigy of Atatürk
2002 Türkiye’nin Çiçekleri – Antalya Süseni (Iris Pamphylica)
2004 Binyılın Türk’leri – Nazım Hikmet Ran
2005 T.B.M.M. Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi 85. Milli Egemenlik Yılı
2005 tedavül paralarından 1, 5 ve 10 Kuruşların tura yüzünde yer alan Atatürk portreleri
2009 tedavül paralarının tamamında (1, 5, 10, 25 ve 50 Kuruş ile 1 Lira) tura yüzünde yer alan, ilk olarak 1984 yılı 1, 5, 10, 20 ve 50 Liralıklarda yer alan Mustafa Kemal Atatürk portresi.
İlk kez 1984 yılı FAO Balıkçılık altın parasının yazı yüzünde kullanılan ve 1984’ten itibaren para setlerinde görülen Darphane logosu kendisinin eseridir (*27, Sf. 73, 74 & 75).
İstanbul Darphanesi Logosu
Darphane’deki diğer eserleri:
TBMM – Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi madalyon ön
TBMM – Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi madalyon arka
1989 NATO’nun 40. Yılı ön
1989 NATO’nun 40. Yılı arka
1990 – Herşey İnsan İçindir – Çevre Emanettir madalyon
1990 – İnsanı Sev Çevreni Koru madalyon
1998 Habitat 2 Kent Zirvesi madalyon
İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi şehrin altın anahtarı ön & arka
İBB altın anahtarı sunum kutusu
İBB altın anahtarı kutusu
Other Works at the Mint
Grand National Assembly of Turkey medallion
40th anniversary of NATO commemorative medallion with the slogan “Peace in Freedom”
1990 medallion with the slogans “Love People, Protect the Environment” and “Everything is for People – The Environment is a Trust”
1998 Habitat II Istanbul Urban Summit medallion
Gold-plated key to the city and box, produced for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
[2]Workers of the Mint went on strike between June 23 and October 19, 1988. Some of the circulation coins were struck at the Mexican Mint. 10 million 100 Lira coins dated 1988 and approximately 66 million 500 Lira coins dated 1989 were minted in Mexico using molds produced in Istanbul. In addition to the circulation coins produced, one thousand silver 100 and 500 Lira commemorative coins were minted. These commemorative coins, which were kept in the Turkish Mint for a while, were offered for sale to registered collectors in 1995 (*27, p 100).
* See all the artists who contributed to the designs of Turkish Republican coins and banknotes here.
Prof. Emin Barın is the calligrapher, bookbinder and graphics artist who designed the coins released for circulation in 1947.
Obverse of the silver 1 Lira and 50 Kurus pieces
Silver 1 Lira
Silver 50 Kurus
Draft sketches of 1 Lira and 50 Kurus pieces from 1947
He was born in Bolu, on 2nd of June 1913 as the son of Mehmed Tevfik Efendi who was also a calligrapher and bookbinder.
As he had a deep interest and talent for painting, he succeeded to enroll to the Arts & Crafts programme at Ankara Gazi Institute in 1934. In 1936 he passed the exam for the talented students to be sent abroad for further education. He attended Turkish Decorative Arts programme at the Academy of Fine Arts as an intern and in 1938 was sent to Germany to study bookbinding under Prof. Dorfner. In 1939, he enrolled Printing and Bookmaking Academy at Leipzig. As a student of Prof. Thiemann, he studied modern typography and under Prof. Wiemeler he studied bookbinding.
With the start of the Second World War, he returned to Türkiye and fulfilled his duty in the army. In 1941, to finalize his studies, he returned to Leipzig and graduated in 1943. After his return to Turkey, he became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Decorative Arts Department.
In 1946, he was appointed to design the new coinage. In 1953, as part of the 500th anniversary of the Conquest of Istanbul, he made 10 large plaques for prominent landmarks such as The Topkapı Gate and the Galata Tower.
Also in 1953, he created a special font family for the inscriptions for Anıtkabir (the mosoleum of Atatürk).
His students Etem Çalışkan (who was his assistant during the construction of Anıtkabir) and Abdullah Taşçı have also designed Turkish coins. Emin Barın is also a contemporary professor at the Academy of Fine Arts with Namık Bayık and Vedat Ömer Ar.
Standing, left-to-right: Edip Hakkı, Emin Barın, Namık Bayık, Gevher Bozkurt, Günseli Başar, Sabih Gözen, Bilge Hanım, Hayati Gökay, Aktan Bey, Ramiz Bey. Seated; left-to-right; Vedat Ar, Necmettin Hoca, Kenan Tenizan, Zeki Faik İzer, Tahirzade… (Seramik Dünyası Magazine, March & April issue of 1996. p19 the article about Vedat Ar by Hande Kura
Cover photo: Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, Traditional Turkish Arts virtual exhibition
Mazhar Nazım was one of the winning contestants of the coin design competition of 1934, organized for the cupronickel small change.
His models for the obverse were chosen but not realized.
Mazhar Nazım studied arts in Academy of Fine Arts and later masted on stained glass at the Decorative Arts Institute of Paris. After his return to Türkiye in 1933, he taught arts and crafts at Applied Fine Arts High School and Institute of Fine Arts for Girls (*source – TR).
24/091934 Son Posta – Nikel para yarışması sonucu
24 Eylül 1934 tarihli Akşam Gazetesindeki duyuru
25 Eylül 1934 tarihli Vakit Gazetesinden alıntı
For the reverse of the coins, Architect Nurettin‘s submission was chosen but not realised.
Minting the new coins could not be realized in 1934 and as relations with the Royal Mint deepened, Percy Metcalfe‘s designs were used on the coinage of 1935.
Nermin Faruki is among the first women sculptors of the Turkish Republic(*1). She submitted models for the coin design contest of 1934 and after the competition ended, she criticised the selected designs for not being contemporary. Her and Artist Ali Cemal’s comments were published in the newspapers of the period.
She attended Arts School for Girls (İnas Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi, *16, p. 523, 546) and later Academy of Fine Arts. Continued her sculpture education in Germany, Berlin Fine Arts Academy. Her initial works show traces of German neo-Classicism, and various other trends at later stages. Her most prominent artwork is “the head of Sculptor Hadi”, on display at the Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture (IMPS) (*38, p. 110).
She was married to Nejat Sirel, who was also a sculptor himself. Their joint artworks are also displayed at IMPS.
As a result of the design competition for circulation coins of 1934, the jury awarded first place to Mesrur İzzet Bey for his effigy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and to Vedat Ömer Ar for his design of the 100 Kurus reverse.
After the announcement, two contestants, Nermin Faruki and Ali Cemal wrote to Cumhuriyet Newspaper and their statements and designs were published on 29/08/1934. Nermin Faruki was criticising the jury of not being contemporary enough, and Ali Cemal for his submission envelope being returned opened. Eventually Ali Cemal’s models were used for the silver 100 Kr pieces.
submitted models;
Nermin Faruki (top)
Ali Cemal (bottom)
Cumhuriyet Dated 29/08/1934
Objections to the decisions of the jury
Cumhuriyet Dated 29/08/1934
Objections to the decisions of the jury -continued
Vakit dated 01/09/1934
Criticism to the contest results
Son Posta dated 01/09/1934 Statements from the Ministry of Finance
[1] İnas ve Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi’nin İlk Kadım Heykeltraşları – Derya Uzun Aydın, Turkish Studies; International Periodical For the Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic, Vol. 9/10 Fall 2014
Vedat Ömer Ar was tone of the first place winners of the contest organized for 100 Kuruş 1934.
His model for the reverse of the coin won first place. For the obverse, the effigy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk made by Mesrur İzzet Bey was selected by the jury. Both were awarded 1000 Lira each. However, the second place models were also sent to Ankara for consideration and eventually the models of the Artist Ali Cemal Bey were selected for the coins.
Vedat Ömer Ar, studied graphics in the Fine Arts Academy (today named Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts) and was sent to France for further education after his graduation. Upon his return, he tought at the Academy as a contemporary of Prof. Emin Barın and Namık Bayık who have also designed cons for the State Mint.
Standing, left-to-right: Edip Hakkı, Emin Barın, Namık Bayık, Gevher Bozkurt, Günseli Başar, Sabih Gözen, Bilge Hanım, Hayati Gökay, Aktan Bey, Ramiz Bey. Seated; left-to-right; Vedat Ar, Necmettin Hoca, Kenan Tenizan, Zeki Faik İzer, Tahirzade… (Seramik Dünyası Magazine, March & April issue of 1996. p19 the article about Vedat Ar by Hande Kura
He studied ceramics making in France and after his return, he became a professor at the Academy. Later he worked in stage decoration, animation, advertisement and documentary production. Died on 12 March 2001.
Vedat Ömer monogram, made of his initials and forms an owl
İstanbul Resim Heykel Müzesindeki “Balık” adlı eseri
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Seçkin Pirim, is the winner of the coin design contest of 1998, made in partnership with the TEMA Foundation to increase awareness on erosion.
