1 lire 1916

Common. eBay market data shows consistent sales activity across multiple condition grades over the past decade, with VF examples typically selling between $28-$102, and catalogue values for VF specimens at $12 (2016 reference). The regular circulation prices and repeated sales transactions indicate substantial surviving populations. The Pick-90a variant designation suggests this was a standard production issue without noted scarcities or recall conditions. PMG population data confirms professional grading activity on this type, further indicating reasonable availability in the collector market.

Issued in 1916 (L. 1332 in the Ottoman fiscal calendar), this note represents the Ottoman Empire's final period when the Dette Publique Ottomane (Ottoman Public Debt) served as the primary currency issuer. The Islamic calligraphy and geometric patterns reflect the Ottoman cultural and religious traditions that dominated official state documents during this era. By this date, the Ottoman Empire was embroiled in World War I and experiencing severe financial and territorial decline, making notes from this final period increasingly significant to numismatic history.

The obverse features a highly symmetrical, ornament-heavy design centered on elaborate Ottoman calligraphy rendered in red and black. The denomination '1' appears in two octagonal cartouches positioned on the left and right margins, a common practice on Ottoman currency for immediate denomination recognition. The entire design is framed by an intricate border composed of geometric Islamic patterns interspersed with floral medallions and rosette motifs in teal/blue-green on a cream-colored paper base. The reverse presents a single large scalloped and pointed-edge ornamental cartouche containing additional Ottoman calligraphy, surrounded by a decorative border of geometric and floral patterns in teal and pink tones. This design approach emphasizes calligraphy and ornament over portraiture, reflecting Ottoman aesthetic and religious preferences that avoided depicting human figures on currency.

Front: Serial number A108042 (repeated on left and right); 'خزانه اسلامیه' (Khazine-i Islamiye) = 'Islamic Treasury'; 'یک لیره' (Yek Lire) = 'One Lira'; Treasury official titles and administrative designations in Ottoman Turkish. Back: Large ornamental cartouche containing official Ottoman Turkish calligraphic text, appears to be a treasury declaration or government statement affirming the note's validity and value, typical of period Ottoman currency.

Multi-color letterpress or offset lithography, employing separate color plates for the teal/blue-green framework, red overprints for the denomination and serial numbers, black calligraphic text, and pink accents. The intricate geometric and floral borders show the fine line work characteristic of security printing of the era. The watermark (hook pattern, as noted in external references) was incorporated into the paper during manufacture. No specific printer attribution is confirmed in available catalog data, though Dette Publique Ottomane notes of this period were typically produced by European security printers contracted by the Ottoman government.

P-90a is catalogued as the sole variant for this Pick number according to PMG population records. The observed specimen shows serial number A108042 with black printing on the obverse. No evidence of overprints, date variations, or signature varieties is apparent in the visual analysis. The note follows the standard L. 1332 (1916-1917) dating convention in Ottoman fiscal calendar (Rumi Takvim), corresponding to August 19, 1916 in the Gregorian calendar.