Click on the Map for a larger view

In the mid-1400s, many Uzbeks moved under Mongol auspices into what is now Kazakstan, where they became known as Kazak (meaning independent or vagabond) Uzbeks. Russia domination over Kazakhstan began in 1848. In 1919-20 the Soviet Red Army occupied Kazakhstan, which in 1920 became part of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Republic. In 1925 the Soviet government changed the republic's name to the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The Kazakhstan Soviet Socialist Republic became a separate republic within the Soviet Union on December 5, 1936. Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991.

Kazakhstan’s monetary history followed that of the Soviet Union until it gained its independence in 1991. Russian Rubles (RUEP) were used in Kazakhstan until 1918. The Russian Ruble Sovnazki (RUFS) replaced the Tsarist Ruble at par in 1918. Lenin deliberated pursued inflationary policies to debilitate the capitalists. The resulting inflation led to the creation of new currencies, which also suffered from inflation. The Russian Ruble of 1922 (RUFR) was introduced on January 1, 1922 and replaced the Ruble Sovnazki at the rate of 1 Ruble of 1922 equal to 10,000 Rubles Sovnazki. The Soviet Ruble of 1923 (SUB) replaced the Ruble of 1922 at the rate of 1 Ruble of 1923 equal to 100 Rubles of 1923. The Ruble was divisible into 100 Kopeks.

The Chervonetz (SUC) was introduced on December 27, 1922, which was backed 25% by gold, and eventually replaced the Ruble Sovnazki as a unit of account. The Gold Ruble (SUG) was introduced on March 7, 1924 equal to 1/10 Chervonetz and 50,000 Rubles of 1923 (i.e. it took 50,000,000,000 Soviet Gold Rubles to get one Tsarist Gold Ruble). A New Ruble (SUN) replaced the Gold Ruble on December 29, 1947 at the rate of 1 New Ruble equal to 10 Gold Rubles. On January 1, 1961, the Hard Ruble (SUR) replaced the New Ruble at the rate of 1 Hard Ruble equal to 10 New Rubles. Under the Soviet Union, the State Treasury and by the State Bank (Gosbank) issued banknotes.

Kazakhstan continued to use the Russian Ruble (RUR), which was introduced at par with the Soviet New Ruble, until Kazakhstan introduced the Kazakhstan Ruble (KZR) at par with the Russian Ruble in August 1993. Kazakhstan introduced the Tenge (KZT) on November 5, 1993 at the rate of 1 Tenge equal to 200 Kazakhstan Rubles, and divisible into 100 Tyin.

Here is a note valued at 1 Tyin. The note is dated 1993 and is red, blue and purple on yellow and multicolored underprint. The obverse features the denomination within a cirlce containing a geometric pattern. The reverse depicts the national coat of arms to the left contained within a circle. The note has a watermark depicting a small snowflake pattern.

• Krause# Pick-1b

Reverse

Here is a 2 Tyin note dated 1993. The note is blue-violet on light blue and multicolored underprint. The oberse features the denomination within a circle containing an ornate design. The reverse depicts the national coat of arms within a circle. The note has a watermark depicting a smal snowflake pattern.

• Krause# Pick-2b

Reverse

This note is valued at 5 Tyin and dated 1993.The note is violet on light blue and multicolored underprint. The obverse features the notes denomination within a circle with an ornate design. The reverse depicts the national coat of arms within a circle. The note has a watermark of a repeating design.

• Krause# Pick-3

Reverse

Here is a 1993 dated note valued at 10 Tyin. The note is deep red on pink and multicolored underprint. The obverse features the denomination in a circle with an ornate design. The reverse depicts the national coat of arms within a circle. The note has a watermark depicting a repeating design.

• Krause# Pick-4

Reverse

Here is a 20 Tyin note dated 1993. The note is black and blue-gray on yellow and multicolored underprint. The obverse features the notes denomination within a cirlce with an ornate design. The reverse depicts the national coat of arms within a circle. The note has a watermark of a repeating design.

• Krause# Pick-5

Reverse

Here is a 1 Tenge note dated 1993. The note is dark blue on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Al-Farabi, a Central Asian polymath and one of the greatest scientists and philosophers of Persia and the Islamic world in his time. He was also a cosmologist, logician, musician, psychologist and sociologist. The reverse is light blue on multicolored underprint and depicts Architectural drawings of a mosque to the left, and the Coat of Arms to the upper right.

• Krause# Pick-7a

Reverse

This note is dated 1993 and valued at 3 Tenge. The note is dark green on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Aronuly Suinbai. He was born in 1815, and died in 1898 and was considered to be a master poet. The reverse depicts some local mountains, a forest and a river near the center, and the national coat of arms to the right. The note carries a watermark of a symmetrical design.

• Krause# Pick-8a

Reverse

This is a 1993 dated 5 Tenge note. The note is dark brown-violet on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Kurmangazy (who lived from 1823-1896 and was a Kazakh composer, instrumentalist, and folk artist). The reverse depicts a cemetery to the left, the national coat of arms near the center above the denomination. The watermark is of a symetrical design.

• Krause# Pick-9a

Reverse

Here is a 10 Tenge note dated 1993. The note is dark green on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Shokan Shinghisuly Walikhanuli who live from 1835 to 1865. He was the first Kazakh scholar, ethnographer and historian and is regarded as the father of Kazakh historiography and ethnography. The reverse depicts some regional mountains, forest and lake in the center, national coat of arms and denomination on the right. The note catries a watermark of a portrait of Shokan.

• Krause# Pick-10a

• Krause# Pick-

Reverse