The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has introduced the new 20-, 50-, and 100-som notes of its fifth series.

A statement from the bank said that the size, colors, and principal designs of the new issues reflect the historical and cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan and are unchanged from their predecessors. The 20-som note (exchangeable for 22 U.S. cents) features Togolok Moldo, a famous poet and folk-song writer, and Tash Rabat, a 15th century caravanserai on the Silk Road in Naryn. The caravanserai, or roadside inn, is referred to in tour guides as the most extraordinary stone monument in Central Asia. The 50-som note portrays Kurmanjan Datka, a 19th century female tribal leader in the Khanate of Kokand, and the minaret and mausoleum in Uzgen. The 100-som bill shows Toktogul Satylganov, also a musician, and the Toktogul Hydroelectric Power Station, named in his honor.

The old and new notes differ by the establishment of multiple levels of security. The bank describes them as follows:
Watermark — A multitoned portrait combined with numbers, visible when held to the light.
Security thread — A broken line that when viewed against light becomes a continuous line.
See-through image — Patterns on both sides that complete a pattern of diamonds when held to the light.
Raised ink — Found on the portrait, signature, and denomination.
Latent image — When tilted, a C in a rainbow color stands out from the background.
Color-shifting ink — Only on the 100-som note, the pattern shifts from gold to jade, and moving double rings are seen when the note is tilted.

An iridescent stripe can be seen on the notes’ back. The diamond-shaped logo of the National Bank and the denomination are seen when a note is tilted.

Another difference, says the Cash Management Department of the National Bank, is the absence of a white field, cited as a main factor in the withdrawal of notes from circulation. To increase the life cycle of the notes, color is added to the watermark field. In addition, serial numbers are located on the back of the notes. Previously they were on the face.

The notes will enter circulation gradually as stocks of those from the earlier series are exhausted. The republic’s other bank notes are denominated with 200-, 500- , 1000-, and 5000-som values.

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