1 Lira

Turkey's lira was in freefall through the mid-1980s — annual inflation ran above 40% for most of this issue's production life, eventually exceeding 70% by decade's end. The 1 lira denomination had become essentially worthless in purchasing terms before the series even concluded; a loaf of bread cost several hundred lira by 1989. The aluminium alloy was a cost-driven choice, as striking anything more valuable than the coin's face value in a base metal had already become a logistical absurdity.