Warm ochre and brown tones gather into a compact horizontal field, balancing soft geometry with quiet cultural authority.

Design & Symbolism

Obverse

The obverse is centered on the portrait of Abdylas Maldybaev, placed beside Kyrgyz ornamental forms and a pale oval security element. The bank name, denomination, and signature are arranged across a clean horizontal field, while the right border adds a narrow band of darker patterning. The portrait introduces a quieter national language than the earlier heroic som issue, turning the note toward music, theatre, and cultivated public memory.

Reverse

The reverse brings Kyrgyz musical instruments into the foreground, with the komuz and kyl kyyak crossing the composition before the Kyrgyz State Philharmonic Hall in Bishkek. Ornamented borders and soft geometric fields hold the instruments within a disciplined layout, allowing cultural performance and civic space to meet without theatrical excess. The design reads as a concise tribute to Kyrgyz artistic life.

Collector’s Insight

For collectors, the 1 som issue belongs to Kyrgyzstan’s 1994 second issue, where the currency moved from inaugural state mythology toward named cultural figures and institutional arts. Maldybaev’s portrait, the Philharmonic Hall, and the traditional instruments give this low denomination a distinctly musical identity within the early som series. It is the point at which the young Kyrgyz som begins to catalogue national culture through portraiture, performance, and state-backed artistic memory.

Shipping & Guarantee

Each banknote is carefully handled and securely packed to ensure safe delivery. Authenticity is guaranteed.

Serial number and prefix may vary from the reference image.