Who is on Kyrgyzstan’s 10 som banknote?
Wikimedia Commons · “ҮЛГҮ” means sample.
The front of Kyrgyzstan’s 10 som banknote features Kasym Tynystanov, a linguist and educator who helped create the first textbooks and standards for written Kyrgyz.
Contents:
Who is on the 10 som note
Tynystanov lived from 1901 to 1938. He worked on alphabets, grammar and terminology, taught and helped build Kyrgyz-language education. His work established the language in schools, scholarship and print.
He was executed during the Great Terror and later rehabilitated. His portrait therefore recalls both the creation of modern written culture and the fate of Kyrgyzstan’s early twentieth-century intellectual generation.
Read the full biography of Kasym Tynystanov.
What appears on the reverse
The reverse shows the red rock formations of Jeti-Oguz near the southern shore of Issyk-Kul. The landscape is associated with Tynystanov’s home region and makes the older note easy to recognise.
Related guide: the Jeti-Oguz gorge route.
Which issue is this, and is it valid?
The banknote entered circulation on 17 December 1997. It measures 135 × 65 mm and is predominantly dark green. Paper 10 som notes remain legal tender, although the 10 som coin has almost entirely replaced them in daily use.
Size, colour and issue date
- Entered circulation: 17 December 1997.
- Size: 135 × 65 mm.
- Main colour: dark green.
How to check a real banknote
Identify the issue by its date and design, then check several features.
- Hold the note to the light: the paper should reveal a portrait watermark and an embedded security thread.
- The thread on older issues repeats “КЫРГЫЗ БАНКЫ” and sits inside the paper rather than appearing to be printed on top.
- Use magnification to inspect fine lines and microtext. They should remain sharp without blurred ink.
- Feel the main raised inscriptions and compare both serial numbers.
Open the National Bank description and security guide.
Explore every denomination
Read about the people and scenes on the other notes:
1 som · 5 som · 10 som · 20 som · 50 som · 100 som · 200 som · 500 som · 1,000 som · 2,000 som · 5,000 som
How to use som, exchange cash and withdraw money in Kyrgyzstan.
Frequently asked questions
Who is on Kyrgyzstan’s 10 som banknote?
Kasym Tynystanov, a linguist, educator and pioneer of Kyrgyz language studies.
What is on the reverse of the 10 som banknote?
The red rock formations of Jeti-Oguz near Issyk-Kul.
Is the 10 som banknote valid?
Yes. The older banknote is valid, but the 10 som coin is used far more often.
Share on social media
If you found this guide useful, share it on social media. It takes a moment and helps more travellers discover the project. Thank you!
Anything to add?
Share your experience, leave a comment or suggest an improvement.