10 Türk Lirası TUR Banknote (Late Old Lira) 1970

10 Türk Lirası Turkish Lira (Issued 1970)

Kız Kulesi, known in English as the Maiden’s Tower, stands as the central architectural subject on the reverse of this 1970 Turkish banknote, rendered in a detailed intaglio vignette that captures the iconic islet structure rising from the waters of the Bosphorus Strait near the Anatolian shore of Istanbul. This slender, centuries-old lighthouse and watchtower has long been one of the most recognised landmarks in Turkish cultural and civic life, making it a deeply symbolic choice for national currency. The surrounding Istanbul skyline, with its silhouetted domes and minarets visible in the middle distance, reinforces the note’s celebration of Turkey’s historic imperial capital. Its selection for the ten-lira denomination reflects the Central Bank of Turkey’s commitment to honouring the nation’s architectural and maritime heritage on its circulating currency.

On the front, the note is dominated by a formal right-facing portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Turkish Republic, engraved with considerable precision and tonal depth. Atatürk is depicted in a dark suit with a white collar and tie, his expression composed and authoritative, rendered in the characteristic intaglio style that gives the portrait a raised, textured quality. The background to the portrait is a pale grey-green, contrasted by a large central vignette panel incorporating elaborate guilloché lacework and geometric rosette patterns in olive and sage tones, framing the central denomination text. The words “ON TURK LIRASI” appear prominently in the centre of this ornamental panel in bold serif typography, with Latin script text above identifying the issuing authority as “TURKIYE CUMHURIYET MERKEZ BANKASI” — the Central Bank of the Turkish Republic. The serial number H32 257755 appears twice: once in the upper left and again in the lower right, printed in deep olive-green ink. The denomination numeral “10” appears in the upper right corner, and again in the lower left alongside the words “TURK LIRASI” in smaller type. A line of smaller text within the central panel references the issue law date of 14 January 1970 and the relevant legislative authority, accompanied by signature lines for the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank. Floral and foliate border decorations run along the lower margin in green and ochre tones, adding ornamental detail to the composition.

The reverse presents the Maiden’s Tower vignette in a finely engraved central scene, executed predominantly in olive-green and grey-green ink with delicate linework capturing the reflections of the tower on the surrounding water, the gentle ripple of the Bosphorus, and the treeline along the distant shore. The Istanbul skyline is visible behind the tower, rendered in soft, receding tones that create a convincing sense of atmospheric depth. To the right of the vignette, a large arched panel of ornamental guilloché work provides visual balance and would serve as a watermark or security zone within the paper. The bank name “TURKIYE CUMHURIYET MERKEZ BANKASI” runs along the top of the note in clean serif capitals, with the numeral “10” positioned at both the top left and top right. The denomination text “ON TURK LIRASI” appears beneath the bank name in bold type, and “TURK LIRASI” is repeated in the lower right of the central field. A repeating decorative border of small floral and leaf motifs runs along the very bottom edge of the note, printed in dark green.

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