20 Para Galata and Unkapi Bridges, Istanbul - Passage-Token

Reverse

Script: Arabic

Lettering:
۲۰
پارة
كوپرى مروريى سى

Unabridged legend:
20 Para
Köprü müruriyesi

Translation:
20 Para
Bridge toll

Edge

Plain

Comment

The toll was collected until May 31, 1930.
According to Wikipedia, this 20-para token was valid for "backpacker animals". Because too many examples were minted (10 million) they circulated as money as well.
 It's the fare you pay to the tills when you cross Galata Bridge, which is a bridge that connects two districts, Eminönü to Galata, the Muslim part (Eminönü) to the Non-Muslim part (Galata). Galata is an ancient settlement, originally settled by Italian levantens in early 1100's. It was autonomous until 1700's, and had his own ruler, called "Voivoda of Galata". Today, Galata is an old town district, very touristic indeed.
 Yes, the word "Voivoda" is borrowed from Balkans, back then rulers of semi-autonomous regions inside Ottoman Empire called "Voivodas". The naming tradition dates back to 1400's, when the Ottomans have both ally voivodas and enemy voivodas in the Balkans.
 The old wooden Galata Bridge got burned down in 1992. A new, steel and metal bridge is made to replace it, since it is in a vital, busy traffic section of Istanbul. Cars coming from Eminönü and Aksaray have to cross it to get to Taksim, Beyoglu and Galata. It has a twin bridge, called Unkapani Bridge too, to relieve traffic.
Location of Galata Bridge on Google Maps
Galata Bridge on Wikipedia

Price

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 20 Para (Galata and Unkapi Bridges, Istanbul - Passage-Token) 1913 item.