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20 Kuruş Second 'Kaime' issue
| Issuer | Ottoman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 1876-1877 |
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| Value | 20 Kurush (0.20) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is largely plain on cream paper, with a circular intaglio seal of the Minister of Finance (Galip) printed at the upper centre. In the lower half, a rectangular letterpress registration stamp of the Imperial Ottoman Bank bears the serial number, city name Constantinople, and the year 1876. |
| Reverse lettering | ناظرِ ماليه Enregistré Par la BANQUE IMPÉRIALE OTTOMANE CONSTANTINOPLE 1877 (Translation: Minister of the Treasury Registered by the Imperial Ottoman Bank Constantinople) |
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| Comments |
The "kaime" (from Arabic *qā'ima*, a standing document or list) had a troubled history in Ottoman finance going back to 1840, when the first issues were used to fund Mahmud II's military reforms. By the time this second kaime series was issued in 1876–77, the empire was financially exhausted — state bankruptcy had been formally declared in October 1875, and the simultaneous crises of Balkan uprisings and the approaching war with Russia left the treasury with few options beyond paper.
Forced circulation was necessary; the public's distrust of kaime notes was deeply rooted and historically justified, as earlier issues had depreciated catastrophically. This series fared no better.