TENGE IS A SYMBOL OF KAZAKHSTAN’S INDEPENDENCE

From this moment, a new and crucial phase in the establishment and development of a truly independent state of Kazakhstan begins. Such events take place only once in the history of each country. It has unprecedented economic and political significance for us.

N. Nazarbayev,
Almaty, November 12, 1993.

         In 1991, Kazakhstan began work at an accelerated pace to build a state with new principles of institutions governing the economy, domestic and foreign policies and the judicial and legal system, based on human rights regardless of nationality and religion.
         After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the newly formed republics of the former Soviet Union lacked their own currency and legal basis for conducting economic operations in a crisis and market economy. Thus, the decree of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbassy N. Nazarbayev dated November 12, 1993 "On the introduction of the national currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan" became a historic decision both for the formation of statehood and for ensuring the life of the entire population of Kazakhstan.
         In 1991, a special group of designers was approved, which included Mendybai Alin, Dosbol Kasymov, Agimsaly Duzelkhanov, Timur Suleimenov and Khairulla Gabzhalilov. Together with financial experts, they started working on creating the national currency of Kazakhstan. During heated discussions, various names for the currency were proposed, including "altyn", "som" and others, but in the end, the variant "tenge" was approved – a native Turkic word, from which the Russian word "money" came.
         After the approval of the name, design and size of currency units, the issue of printing the long-awaited bills arose. Kazakhstan at that time did not have its own banknote factory, so during a thorough study of the market for providing money printing services, the company "Harrison and sons limited" in the UK was selected. All the work was carried out in the strictest secrecy in order to prevent the dissemination of information and subsequent speculation related to money circulation. The first batches of banknotes were delivered by direct flights from the UK to Kazakhstan on Il-76 aircraft.
         In his official address, the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbassy N. Nazarbayev presented samples of the national currency to the people of Kazakhstan on November 12, 1993, and signed a Decree "On the introduction of the national currency of the Republic of Kazakhstan".
         Since November 15, 1993, Kazakhstan has officially started using its own currency "tenge".
         The first banknotes of "NBRK I Series" of the 1993 model were printed in denominations of 1 tenge, 3 tenge, 5 tenge, 10 tenge, 20 tenge, 50 tenge and 100 tenge, they were decorated with portraits of prominent figures of the past: scientist Al-Farabi, akyn Suyunbai Aronuly, kyuishi Kurmangazy, scientist Shokan Ualikhanov, philosopher and thinker Abai, Abulkhair and Abylai khans.
         With the modernization of the security system in the monetary sphere, the time came for the introduction of banknotes of the NBRK II series – of a higher quality with the use of new security elements for banknotes. In the second series of banknotes from 1993 to 2003, the image of Al-Farabi was used in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 tenge. The third series of "NBRK III" of 2006 was dedicated to the monument" Baiterek", located in the center of Nur-Sultan and which is a symbol of a young and strong state. On the face side, the bill was decorated with Baiterek,  the open palm of Elbassy, fragments of the notes of the national anthem, the flag and national emblem of Kazakhstan, as well as a rock image of the Bronze Age. The banknotes, depending on the denomination, differ from each other in color and size. Today, the most relevant banknotes of the "NBRK IV" series are decorated with the monument "Kazakh Eli", flying pigeons, national emblem and flag of Kazakhstan on the face side, and the map of Kazakhstan with significant strategic and cultural objects – on the back side.
         A special place is occupied by jubilee banknotes dedicated to significant dates, including banknotes with a denomination of 1,000 tenge, introduced in 2010, with national ornaments, the Baiterek monument on the front side and the residence of the President of Kazakhstan "Ak Orda" on the reverse side. In 2011, a banknote was issued with the image of the dome of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi on the front and back sides, in 2013 - a banknote in yellow-brown colors with the "Kazak Eli" monument, a fragment of the "Kul-Tegin" sculpture on the front and with rock images of Turkic warriors and writing on the reverse side.
         In 2011, the VII Asian Winter Games were held in Kazakhstan, in honor of which a banknote with a denomination of 2,000 tenge in green colors was issued, on the front side of which there is a monument "Baiterek" with notes of the national anthem, flag and emblem, as well as the palm of Elbassy, rock images, on the reverse side - a skier against the background of the snow-capped mountains of Kazakhstan with the logo of the VII Asian Winter Games.
         In honor of the 10th anniversary of independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2001, the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan issued a 5000 tenge banknote depicting a portrait of the philosopher al-Farabi; on the reverse side, a fragment of the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmet Yasawi was used.

Another commemorative banknote with a denomination of 5000 tenge was introduced in 2008, on its face side, there is a monument "Baiterek", notes of the national anthem, flag and national emblem of Kazakhstan, the palm of N.Nazarbayev and the rock carving together with the Independence Monument and the Kazakhstan Hotel in Almaty against the background of the outline of the map of Kazakhstan with the image of mountains.

In 2011, in honor of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence - a blue-violet banknote with a denomination of 10,000 tenge with images of the Kazakh Eli monument, flying pigeons, the national emblem and flag of Kazakhstan on the face side, as well as the Ak Orda residence in Nur -Sultan, the outline of the map of Kazakhstan with the inscription and the logo of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of independence - on the back of the banknote.

In 2016, to the Day of the First President on December 1, an original banknote of 10,000 tenge was introduced with the image on the front side of the "Kazakh Eli" monument, a fragment of the headdress of the Issyk "Golden man", the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains and a portrait of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbassy N. Nazarbayev, the Baiterek monument.

The first banknote in the denomination of 20,000 tenge in grey-violet shades with images on the front side of the Kazak Eli monument, flying pigeons, a triumphal arch, the state emblem and flag of Kazakhstan, the Ak Orda residence, the building of the Parliament and the Government, the outline of the map of Kazakhstan and the inscription with the logo of the 20th anniversary of the tenge was issued in 2013, but put into use on December 1, 2015. Almost all of the above-mentioned banknotes are in circulation, in addition to the five thousandth banknote with the 2001 portrait of al-Farabi.

Today, the national currency of Kazakhstan has firmly strengthened its significant role in preserving the economic and political independence of the country, becoming one of the integral attributes of Kazakhstan's independence along with the national anthem, emblem and flag.