---
title: "What is on Turkey's banknotes?"
description: "The Turkish lira: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/turkey/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What is on the money in Turkey?

**The money in Turkey: Turkish lira (TRY, ₺)**

6 denominations in issue · Cotton and linen, not wood pulp

Atatürk appears on the front of every denomination, and the reverse carries a different figure from Turkish intellectual and cultural life. The 2005 revaluation removed six zeroes at a stroke — the old ten-million-lira note became ten lira — which is one of the larger redenominations ever carried out without a currency collapse.

## Who and what is on each note

| Note | Who or what is on it |
| --- | --- |
| ₺5 | Atatürk; Aydın Sayılı, historian of science |
| ₺10 | Atatürk; Cahit Arf, mathematician |
| ₺20 | Atatürk; Mimar Kemaleddin, architect |
| ₺50 | Atatürk; Fatma Aliye Topuz, novelist |
| ₺100 | Atatürk; Buhurizade Itri, composer |
| ₺200 | Atatürk; Yunus Emre, poet |

## Notes that were withdrawn

| Note | When | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The entire old lira | 2005 | Six zeroes were removed. One new lira replaced one million old ones, ending an era in which a cup of coffee cost several million. |

## The practical facts

- **Currency:** Turkish lira — ISO code TRY, symbol ₺
- **Printed on:** Cotton and linen, not wood pulp
- **Survives a wash?:** Usually. Cotton and linen notes tear rather than dissolve, and generally survive a wash.
- **Can a blind person tell them apart?:** Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.
- **Highest note in issue:** ₺200 — Atatürk; Yunus Emre, poet

> This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.

## Common questions

### Who is on the money in Turkey?

₺5: Atatürk; Aydın Sayılı, historian of science. ₺10: Atatürk; Cahit Arf, mathematician. ₺20: Atatürk; Mimar Kemaleddin, architect. ₺50: Atatürk; Fatma Aliye Topuz, novelist. ₺100: Atatürk; Buhurizade Itri, composer. ₺200: Atatürk; Yunus Emre, poet.

### Are Turkey's banknotes polymer or paper?

Cotton and linen, not wood pulp.

### Why was the The entire old lira withdrawn?

Six zeroes were removed. One new lira replaced one million old ones, ending an era in which a cup of coffee cost several million. (2005.)

## Related pages

- [Turkey](https://atoneplace.net/country/turkey/)
- [The flag of Turkey](https://atoneplace.net/flag/turkey/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in India](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in China](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)