“Not accepted”: Kazakhstanis draw attention to unusual 10,000 tenge banknote

Tengrinews.kz – A Kazakh woman complained on social media that an ATM refused to accept a 10,000 tenge banknote issued for the 30th anniversary of the national currency. Tengrinews.kz asked the National Bank for clarification.
Social media post
A social media user posted a photo of a 10,000 tenge banknote with an unusual design and claimed that the ATM supposedly would not accept it.

“The ATM doesn’t accept it,” the author of the post wrote.

Screenshot: Threads
Users on social networks reacted to the situation: some suggested exchanging the banknote for an ordinary one, while others advised keeping it as a collectible.
“This is a collectible banknote.”“Try offering it to collectors — you might be able to sell it for a good price.”“Don’t give it away just like that: this banknote retains its value, especially series A. Ordinary banknotes lose value over time, while this one remains legal tender.”
What the National Bank said
To clarify the situation, the editorial team requested a comment from the National Bank’s press service. They explained that the ATM’s software may simply not yet have been updated to accept the commemorative note.

“This is due to the fact that banks and payment organizations may need from several weeks to several months to adapt their equipment to accept or dispense new banknotes. It is possible that the software of this ATM has not yet been updated to accept the commemorative banknote. This can happen if it is a low-traffic ATM. Its software may not be updated as a priority,” the National Bank said.

The press service emphasized that ATMs in high-traffic locations are equipped to accept collectible banknotes.
What kind of banknote is this?
The photo shows a commemorative 10,000 tenge banknote issued in November 2023 to mark the 30th anniversary of the national currency.
On the front side are an image of a coin with the coat of arms of Kazakhstan and a Mobius strip.
On the reverse side are a coin with the tenge symbol, a Mobius strip, and the outline of Kazakhstan’s state border on the map of Eurasia.
Image: nationalbank.kz
How much can this banknote be worth?
We looked at current listings on one of the websites for selling collectible coins and banknotes. Prices for the 10,000 tenge commemorative note vary significantly — from 19,500 to 75,000 tenge.
This spread is explained by the series: the rare BB series is valued substantially higher, while the more common AA series sells for around 19,500 tenge.
Screenshot: bon.kz