Turkish Mint Resumes Production of 1, 5 and 10 Kuruş Coins

Turkey’s State Mint (Darphane ve Damga Matbaası Genel Müdürlüğü), operating under the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, has resumed production of small-denomination coins—1, 5, and 10 kuruş—after an eight-month hiatus.

The decision comes amid public concern over the disappearance of low-value coins from circulation and speculation that production had been permanently halted due to rising minting costs.

Small Coins Return to Circulation

According to the Mint’s official statement, production of the low-denomination coins was restarted earlier this year and the newly minted coins have been put back into circulation. Data covering the first nine months of 2025 shows the following output:

• 1 Kuruş: 240,000 units

• 5 Kuruş: 180,000 units

• 10 Kuruş: 360,000 units

In total, small-denomination coins worth ₺54.21 million have been minted and distributed as of September 2025.

50 Kuruş Rumors Denied

Recent reports suggesting that the Mint would halt production of 50 kuruş coins because of high production costs were officially denied. The agency confirmed that 990,000 units of 50 kuruş coins were produced and released into circulation as of September.

A Mint spokesperson emphasized that “claims about stopping coin production are unfounded” and urged the public not to believe speculative media reports.

Rising Costs, Symbolic Coins

Turkey’s lower-denomination coins—especially 1 and 5 kuruş—have long faced criticism for their declining purchasing power and high production costs relative to their face value. Despite this, the Mint continues to print small coins to maintain price accuracy and transaction consistency in the cash economy.

Economists note that while the cost of producing a 1 kuruş coin often exceeds its nominal value, halting production altogether could distort retail pricing systems and lead to rounding errors in cash transactions.

Inflation’s Impact on Currency Value

The return of the 1, 5, and 10 kuruş coins highlights the symbolic challenges of inflation in Turkey, where rising prices have sharply reduced the practical utility of the country’s smallest denominations.

Still, officials argue that maintaining full currency denominations, even if rarely used, is part of the government’s monetary integrity policy and helps preserve public confidence in the Turkish lira.