2003 Turkish 100 Piastres Kuruş Gold Bullion Coin

The 2003 Turkish 100 Piastres Kurush Gold Bullion Coin pays tribute to the Ottoman Empire, now known as Turkey.

• Manufactured by Turkish State Mint (Daphane)
• 22 carat gold / 0.9167 fineness
• Contains 0.2126 troy ounce of gold
• VAT-free
• Weight: 7.216g
• Diameter: 23mm

These coins are supplied loose. Protect your gold investment with a 24mm coin capsule ensuring your coin remains in great condition.

See our complete gold kurush coin collection.

What Was the Ottoman Empire?

The Ottoman Empire, which persisted from the 14th to the early 20th century, encompassed a vast and influential domain spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, this supremacy came to an end when the Ottoman Empire aligned with Germany and Austria-Hungary, leading to its defeat by the Allies in World War I.

To halt the conflict, the Armistice of Mudros was signed on October 30, 1918, resulting in the partition of the once-powerful empire to favor Britain, France, and Russia. The empire's collapse led to its dissolution in 1922, paving the way for the modern Turkish Republic under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's leadership.

A Variety of Denominations

With this long history, it is no surprise that Turkey has produced many different denominations of gold coins, which include Sultani, Serifi, Yarim, Cifte, Tek, Istanbul, Dort, Luk, Onluk, Altin, Mahbub, Piastres and Lire.

Some of the Earliest Gold Coins Were Made in Turkey

The world's first coins were Greek coins made in Lydia about 640 BC, but the area of Lydia is now in present day Turkey, so that the relationship between Turkey and gold coins dates back over 2,000 years.

The obverse of the coin shows a depiction of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938.

The inscription reads as HAKİMİYET MİLLETİNDİR ANKARA. Translated in English this reads as the following:

sovereignty rests with the nation Ankara (capital city of Turkey)

The reverse side features two dates: '1923,' marking the year when the Republic of Turkey was founded, and '82,' representing the years that had passed since then in 2003.

Additionally, this coin bears a legend and date within the wreath. The date is calculated by adding onto 1923 the bottom number. In our case it is 1923 + 80 = 2003 (the issue date of the coin).