TMB B23 (PNL): 5 manat (US$1.75)
Tan. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Soltan Sansar Türkmen. Back: Buildings; Garassyzlyk Binasy and Bitaraplyk Binasy (Independence Monument and Neutrality Arch in Ashgabat); five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and solid security thread with demetalized 5TMB. Watermark: Soltan Sansar Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 5; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 126 x 63 mm.

Like TMB B16 (P23), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Courtesy of Alexander Petrov.

Tags: Turkmenistan

TMB B25 (PNL): 20 manat (US$7)
Purple. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Görogly Beg Türkmen. Back: Ruhyyet Köşgi (Ruhyyet Palace) building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 20 MANAT. Watermark: Görogly Beg Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 20; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 138 x 69 mm.

Like TMB B18 (P25), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Courtesy of Alexander Petrov.

Tags: Turkmenistan

TMB B24 (PNL): 10 manat (US$3.50)
Red. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Magtymguly Pyragy. Back: Türkmenistanyň Merkezi Banky (Turkmenistan central bank) headquarters building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 10 MANAT. Watermark: Magtymguly Pyragy; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 10; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 132 x 66 mm. a. 2012. Signature 5. Intro: September 2012.

Like TMB B17 (P24), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Courtesy of Alexander Petrov.

Tags: Turkmenistan

TMB B22 (PNL): 1 manat (US$0.35)
Green. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Togrul Beg Türkmen. Back: Beyik Saparmyrat Türkmenbasynyň Milli Medeniyet Merkezi (National Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan) buildings; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and solid security thread with demetalized 1TMB. Watermark: Togrul Beg Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 1; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 120 x 60 mm.
a. 2012. Signature 5. Intro: September 2012.

Like TMB B15 (P22), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Courtesy of Thomas Augustsson and Mikhail "Mike" Prizov.

Tags: Turkmenistan

According to a post on the web site of the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Banky (Central Bank of Turkmenistan), new banknotes have been issued in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 manat. All of the notes appear to be dated 2012, bearing new signatures, and with a pearlescent stripe on back. The two larger denominations also appear to have SPARK patches on front. There's no information on the fate of the 50- and 100-manat notes. As the largest denominations in Turkmenistan, one would assume they are in line for enhanced security features, too, but perhaps the bank still has sufficient stocks of the notes originally issued in 2009.

Additional information and images are requested.

Courtesy of Mehdi Kasumov.

Tags: Turkmenistan

There may be a new variety for the 10,000-manat note dated 1999, listed in The Banknote Book as TMB B6 (P13). As you can see from the scans above, there is a crescent moon and five stars in optically variable ink at upper left front. On the earlier issue (based upon the serial number) shown at left, the OVI appears green, but on later issues shown at right, the OVI appears gold. The differences in the color is not a scanning artifact; examining the notes themselves reveals they appear different to the naked eye even when tilted back and forth.

All images I’ve seen of notes with higher serial numbers than the one shown at right also appear to have gold OVI, including the revised 2000 dated note TMB B7 (P14). If anyone else has a green OVI note, please post a comment with your note’s serial number.

Courtesy of Richard Miranda.

Tags: Turkmenistan

The Turkmenistan chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

This 11-page catalog covers every note (38 types and varieties, including 5 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Döwlet Banky (Central State Bank of Turkmenistan) from 1993 to 1995, and the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Banky (Central Bank of Turkmenistan) from 1995 until present day. Revised 12 October 2012.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

• Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap
• Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender
• Specific identification of all vignette elements
• Security features described in full
• Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note
• Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter
• Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list
• Red stars highlight the many notes missing from the SCWPM
• Date reproduced exactly as on note
• Precise date of introduction noted when known
• Replacement note information
• Signature tables, often with names and terms of service
• Background information for historical and cultural context
• Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties
• Bibliographic sources listed for further research

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Tags: Turkmenistan

On January 1, 2009, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan issued a new series of notes printed by Thomas De La Rue, which has printed Turkmenistan currency since independence in 1991. The new notes bear images of prominent figures of the Turkmen nation and architectural compositions of Ashgabat. The government revalued its currency in conjunction with the introduction of the new notes. Prior to the revaluation, the official exchange rate was 5,000 manats to the US dollar, with the black market rate almost five times that. The new manat is equal to 50 of the “old” manat.


TMB B15 (P22): 1 manat (US$0.35)
Green. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Togrul Beg Türkmen. Back: Beyik Saparmyrat Türkmenbasynyň Milli Medeniyet Merkezi (National Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan) buildings; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and solid security thread with demetalized 1TMB. Watermark: Togrul Beg Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 1; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 120 x 60 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B16 (P23): 5 manat (US$1.75)
Tan. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Soltan Sansar Türkmen. Back: Buildings; Garassyzlyk Binasy and Bitaraplyk Binasy (Independence Monument and Neutrality Arch in Ashgabat); five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and solid security thread with demetalized 5TMB. Watermark: Soltan Sansar Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 5; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 126 x 63 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B17 (P24): 10 manat (US$3.50)
Red. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Magtymguly Pyragy. Back: Türkmenistanyň Merkezi Banky (Turkmenistan central bank) headquarters building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 10 MANAT. Watermark: Magtymguly Pyragy; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 10; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 132 x 66 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B18 (P25): 20 manat (US$7)
Purple. Front: Map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Görogly Beg Türkmen. Back: Ruhyyet Köşgi (Ruhyyet Palace) building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 20 MANAT. Watermark: Görogly Beg Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 20; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 138 x 69 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B19 (P26): 50 manat (US$18)
Green. Front: Holographic patch; map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Gorkut Ata Türkmen. Back: Türkmenistanyň Mejlisi (Turkmenistan National Assembly in Ashkhabat) building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 50 MANAT. Watermark: Gorkut Ata Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 50; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 144 x 72 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B20 (P27): 100 manat (US$35)
Blue. Front: Holographic patch; map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; Oguz Han Türkmen. Back: Prezident Köşgi (Palace of Turkmenbashi in Ashgabat) building; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 100 MANAT. Watermark: Oguz Han Türkmen; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 100; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 150 x 75 mm.
a. 2009. Signature 4. Intro: 01.01.2009.


TMB B21 (P28): 500 manat (US$175)
Orange. Front: Holographic patch; map of Turkmenistan; coat of arms; President Saparmurat Niyazov. Back: Kipchak mosque in Ashgabat; five stars and crescent moon. Solid security thread and windowed security thread with demetalized 500 MANAT. Watermark: President Saparmurat Niyazov; electrotype five stars, crescent moon, and 500; Cornerstones. Printer: (TDLR). 156 x 78 mm.
s. 2009. Signature 4. Unissued. A specimen was prepared, but this denomination never went into production.

Courtesy of Dmitriy Litvak.

Tags: Turkmenistan