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obverse
reverse
Dario Silva Collection CC BY-NC

1 Lira (Turkish Olympics) – Turkey

Circulating commemorative coins
Commemoration: 10th anniversary of the Turkish Olympics
Turkey
Context
Year: 2012
Issuer: Turkey Issuer flag
Period:
(since 1923)
Currency:
(since 2005)
Total mintage: 1,000,000
Material
Diameter: 26.15 mm
Weight: 8.2 g
Thickness: 2 mm
Shape: Round
Composition: Bimetallic (Copper-nickel center, Nickel brass ring)
Technique: Milled
Alignment: Medal alignment
Obverse
OBVERSE ↑
flip
Reverse
REVERSE ↑
References
KM: #Click to copy to clipboard1281
Numista: #35890
Value
Exchange value: 1 TRY = $0.02
Inflation-adjusted value: 13.61 TRY

Obverse

Inscription:
TÜRKİYE CUMHURİYETİ

TÜRKÇE OLİMPİYATLARI

10.yıl
Translation:
REPUBLIC OF TURKEY

TURKISH OLYMPICS

10th Year
Script: Latin
Language: Turkish

Reverse

Inscription:
1

TÜRK LİRASI

2012
Translation:
TURKISH LIRA

2012
Script: Latin
Language: Turkish

Edge

Smooth with repeated imprints and inscriptionsof T.C. letters and tulip figure
Legend:
T.C.
Translation:
The Senate and People of Rome.
Language: Latin

Mintings

YearMint MarkMintageQualityCollection
20121,000,000

Historical background

In 2012, Turkey's currency situation was characterized by a period of relative stability and strength for the Turkish Lira (TRY), but this came with significant underlying vulnerabilities. Following the 2008 global financial crisis, Turkey experienced a rapid recovery, attracting substantial foreign capital inflows due to its high growth rates and interest rates. This "hot money" increased demand for the lira, leading to significant appreciation. However, this appreciation raised concerns among policymakers and exporters, as a strong lira hurt Turkey's competitiveness by making its exports more expensive and widening its chronic current account deficit.

To manage the lira's value and support exporters, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) under Governor Erdem Başçı employed an unconventional monetary policy framework. Instead of focusing solely on a single policy rate, the CBRT utilized a complex "interest rate corridor," adjusting the gap between its overnight borrowing and lending rates to influence capital flows and lira volatility. The bank also actively built up its foreign exchange reserves through direct interventions in the market, aiming to curb excessive lira strength without fully halting its rise. This period was often described as a "managed float."

Despite the surface stability, the situation in 2o12 was fundamentally fragile. The economy's growth was heavily dependent on short-term foreign financing to fund its large current account deficit, making it vulnerable to sudden shifts in global risk sentiment. Critics warned that the strong lira masked structural economic weaknesses and that any reversal of capital flows could lead to rapid depreciation. These concerns would materialize in the coming years, particularly after the 2013 "Taper Tantrum," when the lira began a long-term downward trend against major currencies, exposing the latent pressures built up during this period of managed strength.
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