Collection Coins of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic 

In 1995 the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic minted the first numismatic commemorative coins setting the foundation for the development of the numismatic market in Kyrgyzstan. Having passed a certain development stage, the numismatic market in the country is already a self-developing one spreading beyond the country. The practice showed that the most efficient and dynamic development of the numismatic market is achieved through systematic and integrated approach in accordance with the overall strategy of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic. On the one hand, the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic is the customer for minting the numismatic coins, while on the other hand it is the seller of the coins. To date, both the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic and the buyer play a decisive role in the development of the market of collection coins in Kyrgyzstan. 

Kyrgyz collection coins are not only a product for a souvenir or a collection, but also an important source of information. The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic issues collection coins in order to perpetuate the historical events associated with the development of Kyrgyzstan as a state, as well as its culture, monuments, commemoration of anniversaries, achievements in the field of culture and sports, revival of national customs and games, promotion of endangered species of the country’s flora and fauna. Themes of the collection coins minted by the National Bank depict beauty, distinctive character, and exclusiveness of Kyrgyzstan. The coins devoted to the following series were issued: “Millenary of the Epic Manas”, “Historical Events”, “Kyrgyz Statehood”, “Age of the Kyrgyz Kaganat”, “International Year of Mountains”, “Kyrgyzstan on the Great Silk Road”, “Works of Ch.Aitmatov on Coins”, “Historical and Architectural Monuments of Kyrgyzstan”, “National Sports and Folk Games”, “National Musical Instruments”, “Red Book of Kyrgyzstan”. The National Bank issued silver coins in the series of “Capitals of the EurAsEC Countries”, “Fauna of EurAsEC Countries”, “Legends and Tales of the EurAsEC Countries”, “National Customs and Rites of Peoples of EurAsEC Countries”, “10 years of EurAsEC”, “World of Our Children”, “Great Silk Road” within the framework of the International program on issuance and selling of collection coins made of precious metals by the Eurasia Economic Community Countries. In 2015, the National Bank issued a silver coin “Eurasian Economic Union” within the framework of the coin program on minting a series of collection coins by the central (national) banks of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation. The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic produces collection coins using modern local coinage technologies: gold plating, hologram, pad printing, oxidation, insertion of various stones (diamonds, Swarovski crystals). The National Bank conducts the market study to rank topics that are of the most interest among collectors and relevant expectations of the various categories of consumers when planning new issue of collection coins. The Board of the National Bank defines the topics and the overall concept for the serial production of the coins. External professional artists and designers are also involved in the development of conceptual designs for collection coins of the national currency. 

Kyrgyz collection coins won awards in prestigious international coin competitions. Thus, Trade House “Biblio-Globus” awarded the series of coins “Works of Ch.Aitmatov on Coins” with a honorary diploma within the fourth international commemorative coins contest “Coin Constellation – 2010” held in St. Petersburg. Collection coin from the “Great Silk Road” series won the nomination “The Most Historically Significant Coin” in the contest “Coin of the Year” held by Krause Publications in Berlin in 2013. In the international contest “Coin Constellation” - (Moscow, 2014) a collection silver coin “Saimaluu-Tash” took third place in the nomination “Silver Coin of the Year”.  

Interest in the Kyrgyz collection coins increases year after year. Today, both professional collectors for whom numismatics is a fascinating hobby and ordinary citizens who are interested in an investment purchase. When dealing with collecting the coins, one needs to ensure proper storage conditions otherwise coins simply can lose their numismatic value due to exposure to the damaging effects of the environment: air, moisture, heat. Coins should be stored in an acrylic capsule that preserves the coins in their original state in order to avoid their damaging. Coins should be taken only by the lateral surface (herring bone). A coin loses its numismatic value when it has even minor damages (small scratches, fingerprints, etc.). Therefore, we strongly recommend not to open or remove the coin from acrylic capsule.