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he currency system and the banknotes can be confusing especially for the new comers to Turkey. Unfortunately, due to the inflation rate in Turkey, we have many zeros lined up on the front and the back of the banknotes. But please check that on most of the currencies you will see the last three zeros are in different colors or shade of the color of the previous zeros meaning that when the inflation rate goes below certain level (around 20%), these zeros will be omitted. I tried to set examples of each denomination back and front also giving you information of what pictures you will see and what they are.

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nder the picture of the back of 500,000.- TL note, there is an asterisk(*) sign: The definition of the word MARTYR in Turkish language is "A Person who was killed in lieu of duty, war, or religion". So, that monument at the tip of the Dardanelles is a martyrdom for the Turkish soldiers who lost their lives during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, the beginning of 'The Independence Wars of Turkey', to whom we owe our lives and INDEPENDENCE!!!. MAY GOD BLESS THEIR SOUL!

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bout the coins: I gave the dimensions of the coins as close as possible; I measured them myself. That means, I may not be exact. The coins are in silver color.

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did not give any dimension for the banknotes so that I would not be one of them to encourage the counterfeiters! (I wander if it would help?)

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he 'New Turkish Lira': (The following information is adopted from the decree of The Central Bank of Turkey.)

As of 01 January 2005, the denominations of the Turkish Banknotes will be changed and 6 (six) zeros will be dropped down. With this procedure, 100 'New Turkish Kuruş' (NKr) will be equal to 1 (One) 'New Turkish Lira' (NTL) which was same 30-40 years ago. This way, today's 1,000,000 Turkish Liras will be equal to One 'NTL' but during the year of 2005, both of the currencies will be in circulation until 01 January 2006 when the old title of 'Turkish Lira' (TL) will be used again. At the end of 2005 (31 December 2005), the 'TL' banknotes will be out of circulation. (The international money code for 'New Turkish Lira' is TRY.)

The denominations of 'NTL' will be 1 (Eventually, this 1 Lira Banknote will be 1 NTL coin), 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 (This one will be used for the sake of cash payment convenience) YTL (NTL). The Coins will be 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 NTK and 1 NTL.

During the exchange of foreign currency to the New Turkish Lira, 4 or 5 digits will be considered for the ratio. (e.g., US$ 1.- = 1.42705 NTL which means 1.43 New Turkish Liras or NTL.)

In changing the Turkish Lira to the New Turkish Lira, 5.000 TL (one half YKr) and lower will be disregarded but 5.001 TL and above will be valued as 1 YKr.

e.g. 1: 123,625,001 TL = 123.63 YTL
e.g. 2: 123,625,000 TL = 123.62 YTL
e.g. 3: 123,625,128 TL = 123.63 YTL
e.g. 4: 123,624,998 TL = 123.62 YTL

To avoid confusion, the banknote denominations will be similar designs and colors to the previous ones,
The NTL banknotes will be designed in such a way that the handicapped and impaired visioned people would know the difference:
1) Improvement of relieved printing technique,
2) Continuing printing of the consecutive denominations,
3) Creation of different dimensions on some denominations.

In case you are stuck with the old banknotes in your previous visit, you can change that amount you have in your person with Central Bank of Turkey (T.C. Merkez Bankası) OR Agriculture Bank of Turkey (T.C. Zıraat Bankası) until 01 January 2016.

Technical specifications will be announced by the end of 2004. Also, you can always get in touch with the following web sites: www.YTL.gen.tr, Central Bank of Turkey, Treasury, www.spk.gov.tr and Finance.

If you like to see the new coins please click here and for the new banknotes click here.