Kazakhstan’s national currency tenge marks 30th anniversary

This year marks 30 years since the introduction of the Kazakh national currency tenge. In honor of the anniversary of one of the symbols of independence, a special exhibition was opened in the country’s capital. It features over 200 exhibits, ranging from the first tenge samples to collector coins. The inaugural batch of tenge was printed in the United Kingdom (UK), while the first coins were minted in Germany.  

“We designed the first national currency in Kazakhstan, and the first batch was printed with my signature in London. We made the right choice because the quality of Kazakh banknotes is among the best in the world. Thus, in 1994, the tenge received a gold medal from Queen Elizabeth II of the UK for the beauty of design and quality,” said First Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan (1992-1993) Galym Bainazarov.

However, in 1995, the country opened its own banknote factory. This event also solidified Kazakhstan’s financial independence. The national currency was recognized the best worldwide by the International Bank Note Society in 2011, 2012 and 2013. According to experts, no other banknote has achieved comparable success thus far. The tenge continues to gain international recognition.

“There are several ways to distinguish counterfeit banknotes, which are publicly available, from genuine ones. Anyone can easily see the differences. For instance, the color of the image shimmers and varies when the banknote inclination angle is changed. Also, the authenticity of the banknote can be verified using infrared radiation on specialized devices in stores. The third way involves expert examination. The fourth method, known only to specialists of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, takes into account modern nanotechnologies used in the manufacturing process,” shared Zhomart Kazhmuratov, director-general of the banknote factory of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.

The front side of the country’s first banknotes depicted significant historical figures who influenced the development of Kazakhstan’s political and cultural life. Among them are Al-Farabi, Suyunbai, Kurmangazy, Shokan Ualikhanov, Abai Kunanbaiuly, Abulkhair Khan and Abylai Khan. The second series of tenge was named ‘Al-Farabi’, and the third edition - ‘Baiterek’. The fourth series of banknotes known as Samruk is currently in circulation.