The Turkish State Mint has reduced the size of the coins of lira, the Turkish currency, to deal with the rising minting costs, local media reports.
The one-lira and half-lira coins are now half millimeter thinner and have a different composition of copper, zinc and nickel, the NTV reported.
The weight of the one-lira coin has been reduced to 6.6 grams from 8.2 grams, while the half-lira coin to 5.5 grams from 6.8 grams, the report added.
Such changes, the first in 14 years, have saved 30 percent in the cost of coin production, according to media reports. It is reported that the cost of making the one-lira coin was about 3.48 liras before the changes.
The lira, which has lost over 70 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since the beginning of 2022, declined to new record lows against the greenback since the start of March.
