The culture of currency handling in the Kyrgyz Republic leaves much to be desired.

It is surely well known from personal experience that getting rid of damaged money is not so easy. Stores, markets, and public transport often refuse to accept them, and payment terminals "return" them. Indeed, when we receive a heavily worn or torn banknote as change, we usually ask to replace it with a newer one. However, worn-out money can end up in anyone's hands, especially since the number of damaged banknotes and coins has increased recently. Why is this happening, and what should be done with "defective" currency?

According to the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, damaged money worth more than 1 million soms is withdrawn from circulation every month. Thus, in the first half of 2015, 6.5 million soms were sent for destruction, and last year, 13 million 316.3 thousand soms were destroyed due to unfitness.
Money is "written off" for various reasons: some banknotes have simply reached the end of their lifespan, others have been damaged in fires, some have been accidentally torn, soiled, or washed. But alongside natural processes, unforeseen circumstances, and ordinary carelessness, there is also intentional damage to money.
The National Bank notes that recently there has been an increasing number of intentionally damaged banknotes and coins of the national currency. Banknotes are drawn on, scribbled, and even used as advertising space, with short announcements spread on them. Coins are tested for durability, being bent, scratched, or punctured. Naturally, banknotes with a denomination of less than 100 soms suffer the most: the population treats larger denominations more carefully. Meanwhile, small change can add up to a significant amount.
- Huge amounts of money are spent on issuing currency, - said Aibek TOKTOSUNOV, head of the cash operations department of the NBKR. - Each banknote has its own life cycle, but users shorten it by half with their careless handling. Recently, we often witness how our citizens handle national currency in markets, minibuses, and everyday life. Banknotes are crumpled, torn, soiled with food remnants, kept in pockets instead of wallets, and used as notepads. With such behavior, we shorten the life cycle of banknotes and increase the costs of producing new currency.
According to the specialist, the culture of handling money is important not only from a material standpoint but also from a moral one. By demonstrating disrespect for the national currency, a person shows their attitude towards the country.

- This may seem insignificant, but it is precisely from such small things that the economic and political image of the state is formed, - noted Toktosunov. - In the future, it is periodically necessary to raise the financial literacy of the population, instilling a careful attitude towards banknotes, starting from school and even from kindergartens.
To ensure that money lasts longer, the National Bank urges citizens not to write on banknotes, not to fold or crumple them. Cash should be kept in wallets. If damaged banknotes or coins do end up in your hands, they can be exchanged at any commercial bank in Kyrgyzstan or at the NBKR.
- Worn banknotes are considered genuine banknotes that are unfit for cash circulation due to existing damages. These include soiled, worn, torn, those with abrasions, small holes, punctures, foreign inscriptions, stains, stamp impressions, as well as those that have lost corners or edges but retain at least 50 percent of the banknote's area, - said Aibek Toktosunov. - Damaged coins are considered bent, flattened, cut, or having minor mechanical damage but retaining at least 80 percent of the weight and the image on the obverse and reverse of the coin.
However, it should be noted that not all worn money is eligible for exchange. In some cases, damaged currency really does not hold any value.
- A commercial bank may refuse to exchange worn or damaged money if the banknote has retained less than 80 percent of its area. The National Bank does not exchange banknotes that have lost more than 50 percent of their area. The NBKR and commercial banks do not accept damaged coins that have retained less than 80 percent of the coin's weight. All these nuances are stipulated in the Regulation on the signs of payment and the rules for exchanging banknotes and coins of the KR, - explained the National Bank specialist.
Kyrgyz paper tyiyns from 1993 are being sold at Russian auctions. The starting price for 1 tyiyn is 55 rubles, for 10 tyiyns - 75 rubles, and for 50 tyiyns - 82 rubles. Additionally, collectors can purchase circulating coins of the KR. For example, a 50-tyiyn coin costs 50 rubles, a 3-som coin - 10 rubles, and a 5-som coin - 15 rubles. Prices for a collection of coins consisting of 10, 50 tyiyns, 1, 3, 5, and 10 soms start from 100 rubles.