Who is on Kyrgyzstan’s 5 som banknote?
Wikimedia Commons · “ҮЛГҮ” means sample.
The front of Kyrgyzstan’s 5 som banknote features Bubusara Beyshenalieva, a founder of professional Kyrgyz ballet and the country’s first widely acclaimed ballerina.
Contents:
Who is on the 5 som note
Beyshenalieva lived from 1926 to 1973. She trained at the Leningrad Choreographic School and became a leading soloist in Frunze. Her career joined classical ballet technique with Kyrgyz stories and music.
Her image represents more than an individual stage career. Beyshenalieva helped shape a national ballet repertoire and became one of the most recognisable figures in twentieth-century Kyrgyz theatre.
Read the full biography of Bubusara Beyshenalieva.
What appears on the reverse
The reverse depicts the Abdylas Maldybaev Kyrgyz National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Bishkek. The choice connects the ballerina with the principal stage on which her art developed.
Related guide: Bishkek, home of the Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Which issue is this, and is it valid?
The note was issued on 17 December 1997. It measures 135 × 65 mm and is predominantly dark blue. Paper 5 som notes belong to an older series and remain legal tender, but coins are normally used for this value today.
Size, colour and issue date
- Entered circulation: 17 December 1997.
- Size: 135 × 65 mm.
- Main colour: dark blue.
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 5 som banknote?
Bubusara Beyshenalieva, a leading Kyrgyz ballerina.
What is on the reverse of the 5 som banknote?
The Abdylas Maldybaev Kyrgyz National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Bishkek.
Is the 5 som banknote valid?
Yes. The banknote remains valid, although the 5 som coin is much more common.
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