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.”
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).
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.
Altıncı Emisyon 1.000 TL ön
Altıncı Emisyon 1.000 TL arka
Yedinci Emisyon 1. tertip 5.000 TL ön
Yedinci Emisyon 1. tertip 5.000 TL arka
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.
1983 Dünya Haberleşme Yılı 70 TL valörlü pul
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)
* Clickfor other artists who contributed to the design of Turkish currency.
Etem Hamdi Tem, served as a reserve officer during the War of Independence. As he also owned a camera (a rare commodity at the time), he also served as a war photographer. After the war, he was one of the privileged photographers of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
His most famous shot is of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at Kocatepe, on the eve of the Great Offensive. His posture was used on many sculptures, monuments and also coins.
Etem Tem’in fotoğrafladığı meşhur sahne; Atatürk Kocatepe’de
1960 ikibuçuk lira tura yüzü, Etem Tem’in fotoğrafladığı meşhur sahne; Atatürk Kocatepe’de
medallion commemorating the 50th anniversary of Battle of Dumlupınar; Mustafa Kemal depicted on the battle day
1981 yılı alüminyum 10 Lira
2022 Büyük Taarruz polimer halkalı gümüş tura
2022 Büyük Taarruz’un Yüzüncü Yılı polimer halkalı gümüş 10 TL
2022 Büyük Taarruz 100. Yılı Hatıra Para, Atatürk’ü Kocatepe’de gösterir tura tarafı
2022 Büyük Taarruz 100. Yılı logolu yazı yüzü
2022 Büyük Taarruz bronz yazı
2022 Büyük Taarruz bronz tura
2022 1 Lira Tedavül Hatıra versiyonu: Büyük Taarruz 100. Yılı logolu
Ethem Tem’in paralarda yer alan bir diğer fotoğrafı da 1925 yılından; Bursa gezisi sırasında çekilen fotoğraf, dokuzuncu emisyon 5 ve 10 Liralık banknotlarda kullanıldı. (*i, *ii, *iii).
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, aboard the Boat “Reşit Paşa” (Bursa, 1925)
2009 E9 5 TL Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
* Click here for the other artists whose designs shaped Turkish coins and banknotes.
Cemal Işıksel is the photographer whose frames were, and are being used as the basis for many portraits of Atatürk on several banknotes and coins.
1929-07-14 Atatürk at the Forest Farm
5th emission Atatürk portrait engraved by Jan Piwczyk
1929 Forest Farm
E7 1st version 5.000 Lira, portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk – Cemal Işıksel
Atatürk-7E-5000000 Lira
50th anniversary of the Republic; 1973. Obverse of the gold 500 Lira coin
250.000 Lira ve 2005’te tedavüle çıkan 25 Yeni Kuruşun tura yüzü
Ataturk at the horse races 1927
Atatürk-8E-100 Lira
Ataturk expecting the military planes – 1937
2006 1 YTL tura
1934-10-03 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at the Çankaya Mansion 1934
E9 200 TL Mustafa Kemal Atatürk portresi
Atatürk Forest Farm 1931
2009 E9 20 TL Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
1996 postage stamps FDC Atatürk portrait
Ataturk portrait on the 5th Emission, 4th series 100 Lira banknotes put into circulation in 1962 and the 3rd series 500 Lira banknotes issued in the same year, engraved by by Jan Piwczyk
Atatürk portrait of the 8th Emission 50 and 100 Lira banknotes, by Şükrü Ertürk
Ataturk portraits on the 9th emission banknotes, by Nazan Tanyu (20 and 50 TL), and by Mustafa Çakırcalı (100 and 200 Lira).
(some photos are mirrored so to have Ataturk face left)
Born in Istanbul in 1905, Cemal Işıksel was the son of Hasan Fehmi Efendi, the religious scholar who penned the fatwa prepared against the Istanbul Government. Cemal Isiksel took his first photograph of Atatürk at the station while on a journey to Afyon in 1924 to attend the second anniversary celebrations of the Dumlupınar Victory.
He later participated in all of Atatürk’s tours around the country as his personal photographer. Falih Rıfkı Atay wrote in one of his articles, “The late leader had chosen Cemal among all the photographers.”
He also took photographs of foreign statesmen who visited Turkey and created a very rich photographic archive of the first 40 years of the Turkish Republic. Some of the photographs he took of Atatürk were printed on money and stamps.
In 1926, upon the call of Yunus Nadi, the founder of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, he transferred to Cumhuriyet. Later, upon Atatürk’s request, he also became a photojournalist for Hakimiyet-i Milliye and Ulus Newspapers. He ended his photojournalist career, which he continued actively until 1956, in 1963.
Cemal Işıksel describes the interest Atatürk showed his photographers in his interview with Abdi İpekçi, published in Milliyet Newspaper on November 6, 1972, as follows:
“In 1932, the members of the First History Congress were given tea at the Marmara Mansion. I went there too. I was waiting for a suitable pose to take a picture there: Atatürk saw me. He turned around and said to the history professors and history lecturers who had surrounded him: “In this country,” he said. “We have destroyed all tyrannies, but we could not get rid of Cemal’s tyranny. Tell me child, how do you want to take a picture, where should we stand, how should we stand?”
Of course I felt deeply embarrassed, and said, “As you wish, Pasha.” Because I had not expected such a compliment. ” I said, “the professors may come this way around you, I shall take a photo like that.”
“Okay,” he said. “gather around me“. This is one of my best memories.”
Işıksel, who opened 26 exhibitions on Atatürk Photographs, the first of which was on November 10, 1965, in the German Cultural Center exhibition hall in Ankara, turned his apartment in Ankara into a permanent Atatürk Photographs exhibition in 1969 and created an Atatürk album from these photographs (1969).
Ali Sami Boyar is the designer of the first emission banknotes released in 1927 (*5 Sf.6).
He studied arts during middle school and later at the Naval Academy. He graduated the Naval Academy in 1901 and while working for the Navy, enrolled to Fine Arts School which he graduated in 1908.
In 1925, he won the contest for the first stamps of the Republic. Later in his career, while he was managing the Museum of Endowments (today Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum), he was appointed to produce the designs for the first banknotes of the republic.
He was sent to London to oversee the printing process along with the State Mint engraver İsmail Haşim and some other officials. The inscriptions on the banknotes were made by Calligrapher Ahmet in different font styles, so that it would be easier for the public to recognize different denominations. *1. The portrait on the 1000, 500 and 100 Lira banknotes was based on Atatürk’s photo taken at the Phebus Photo Studio by Bogos Tarkulyan(*2).
The series consisting of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1.000 Lira denominations was printed in London Thomas de la Rue Printhouse.
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 serie 100 Lira back side
1. Emission set 100 Lira front
1st Emission 5 Lira back side
1st Emission 5 Lira front
First Emission 10 Lira back
First Emission 10 Lira front
1st Emission 50 Lira back
1st Emission 50 Lira front
1. Emission set 1 Lira back
1. Emission set 1 Lira front
The symbolism of the banknotes included Grey Wolf, Crescent and star, the new parliament in Ankara. The texts were still in the Turkish Arabic syntax and in traditional and partly kufic fonts.
