5 piastres 1916

Common. eBay market price history shows consistent sales activity across multiple condition grades (VG through AUNC) with prices ranging from approximately $7.50 to $59.52, with the majority of sales between $15-$30 for F-VF grades. This indicates adequate supply in the collector market. The presence of multiple recorded eBay sales spanning from 2010 through 2026 demonstrates ongoing availability. While these notes are no longer produced and carry historical significance, the consistent pricing and regular auction activity confirm this is a standard common-grade issue for collectors. The AU condition specimen would be modestly scarcer than lower grades, but the underlying issue itself is not rare.

This banknote was issued during the final decade of the Ottoman Empire, when the Dette Publique Ottomane (Ottoman Public Debt Administration) managed fiscal instruments under the RC (Roman Calendar/Rumi Takvim) dating system used for Ottoman administrative purposes. The Ottoman tughra prominently displayed at the top center represents imperial authority, while the calligraphic Ottoman Turkish text reflects the administrative language of a declining empire undergoing significant fiscal and military stress during World War I. This particular issue (L. 1332/1916) marks the transition period when Ottoman monetary instruments were becoming increasingly associated with financial instability that would characterize the post-war period.

This uniface 5 Piastres banknote features a sophisticated Ottoman administrative design centered on an ornate multi-lobed rectangular frame filled with intricate geometric and floral patterns in tan/beige coloring. The most prominent element is the Ottoman tughra (imperial monogram) positioned at the top center—this is the formal imperial seal/signature representing the Sultan's authority and legitimacy of the issue. The denomination appears in four corner frames in both English ('5 PIASTRES') and Ottoman Arabic numerals ('غروش'). The central panel contains extensive Ottoman Turkish text in classical calligraphic script arranged in multiple horizontal lines, providing legal and administrative information regarding the note's status and validity. A star or seal medallion appears in the lower center area. The design reflects late Ottoman aesthetic principles with emphasis on intricate linework and calligraphy rather than portraiture, consistent with Ottoman monetary tradition and religious considerations regarding figurative imagery.

Front Side: Denomination markings: '5' and 'PIASTRE' (English numerals and English text in four corner frames); 'غروش' (Groush/Piastres in Ottoman Turkish); 'SÉRIE 43' (Series 43 in French); Serial number 'No009703'; Date marking 'L. 06.08.RC1332 / 19.08.1916' (Legal date 6 August RC 1332 / 19 August 1916 CE); Multiple lines of Ottoman Turkish calligraphic text in central panel containing legal validation text, issuer identification, and terms of the banknote's validity as legal tender. Back Side: Blank/minimal decoration with no visible inscriptions or text.

This note was produced using high-quality intaglio (engraved) printing techniques, evidenced by the crisp, clean lines visible in the ornate geometric patterns, the precision of the calligraphic text rendering, and the fine detail work throughout the design. The use of black ink on tan/cream stock with clear, sharp impressions indicates professional security printing. The Dette Publique Ottomane typically employed European security printers for its issues during this period, though specific printer attribution for this Pick 87 variety would require additional documentation.

This specific note is identified as Series 43 (SÉRIE 43), Serial Number 009703, dated L. 1332 RC (6 August RC 1332 / 19 August 1916). Visual analysis confirms this is a uniface design with olive underprint as catalogued by realbanknotes.com. The PMG population report indicates one catalogued variant for Pick P-87, though specific variant details (such as watermark varieties noted in the reference catalog) would require examination of additional exemplars. The notation correction regarding the date format (RC rather than AH, as erroneously listed in some catalogs) has been confirmed—this note uses the Ottoman fiscal calendar system (Rumi Takvim/Roman Calendar) standard for the period, not the Islamic Hijra calendar.