Erbil tells the story of reviving the "gold lira" as an inherited economic refuge
1/18/2026
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) Salar Gharib, who has twenty-three years of experience, begins the journey of converting raw “broken” gold into shiny liras by melting the metal at temperatures ranging from 1300 to 1600 degrees Celsius, after determining the carat with extreme precision to be “21 carat” (91.6% purity), which is the most popular and trusted grade in the local markets.
In keeping with the culture of saving that is deeply rooted in the Kurdistan Region society in all its cities, regions and extensions, and with the increasing demand for the yellow metal as a safe haven for wealth, gold crafting factories in the capital Erbil are witnessing remarkable technical and artistic activity to produce the “gold lira” with local and international specifications, as these small pieces have turned into an economic icon that combines investment value and traditional beauty.
At the heart of a specialized workshop, after the gold is poured into molds to produce longitudinal ingots, the material passes through rolling and pressing machines to form precise gold sheets.
Their thickness is measured with sensitive electronic instruments to ensure a consistent weight. Here, goldsmith Salar points out that the 5-gram gold lira is the most sought-after coin among the residents of Erbil. It is cut to a diameter of 80 millimeters before undergoing a purification and drying process in preparation for the final "minting" or stamping under immense hydraulic pressure of up to 1500 bar, which gives it its distinctive visual identity and seal of quality.
When discussing production capacity, the factory managers emphasize that the increasing demand has prompted them to raise the pace of work. The factory produces between 600 and 700 gold liras daily in various shapes and weights, with the possibility of printing more than 4,000 copies of some highly sought-after models. This reflects a revival in the local industry and the ability of craftsmen in Erbil to compete with imports in terms of accuracy and purity.
Experts believe that, looking at the future of the market, this trend towards local manufacturing of gold savings coins not only provides job opportunities for local staff, but also gives the Kurdish consumer an additional guarantee of purity and weight, so that the “Erbil” gold lira remains a solid bridge that citizens cross towards financial stability that defies the fluctuations of paper currencies. LINK
