Banknotes of Russia 07

The final note in the 1905-12 set is without any doubt the most impressive of them all.
It is also one of the larger notes in my collection.

The note is as large as 272 x 126 mm. Therefore it is difficult to find t in unfolded condition.
Most notes are folded in 4 or even 8.
Folded into 4, it equals the size of a € 10 note!

Russia N°14 - 500 rubles 1912

Russia N°14 - 500 rubles 1912 back

When we take a closer look at the front side of the note, we see the year of issue 1912 (n°1) in the frame untherneath the value.

Year of issue 1912

On top of the same frame, we see the monogram of  Czar Nicholas II (H in Russian - n°4)

N II (Nicholas II) - H in Russian

n°2 shows the full serial number and n°3 the signatures, similar to those on the other notes of the set.
The serial number was printed separately from the note, as you can clearly see on the location of the serial number on two different notes.

different position of serial number on two similar notes

The signature can be Konshin or Shipov. The first signature has three times the value of a Shipov's note.

Konshin or Shipov signature

two Shipov notes with different cashiers' signatures

On the back side of the note, as well as in the watermark, Peter the Great (Czar Peter I) is depicted.
He ruled the Russian Czardom and later the Russian Empire. He ruled until his death on 8 February 1725.
He died at the age of 52 years.

Peter the Great on 500 rubles - Russia  N°4

Peter the Great painted by Delaroche

On the right hand side of Peter the Great, an impressive lady figures. She is holding a scepter with the Imperial eagle on the top.

Lady figure on 500 ruble  - 1912

Imperial Eagle

And as if the note is n't impressive enough, the number "500" appears not less then 15 times on the note.
Just to make sure it's  a 500 rubles note. I doubt however if many Russians ever saw that note in their time.
Representing more or less 2 year income for most labourers, this note only circulated among the rich or to do larger transactions..


So far the 1905-1912 set of banknotes. Other to follow in later posts.

Banknotes of Russia 06

The second last note from the Russian series 1905-1912, is a 100 rubles note.
An impressive note, not from the size yet alone.

The front side is in the style of the other notes of this set.

100 ruble note Russia 1910 - N°13

On the left hand side, we see the date 1910 (n°1)

All notes have a full serial number (n°2) and two signatures (n°4 and 5)
The first signature can be Konshin or Shipov, where the first signature is the most valuable.
The signature of the cashier (n°5) can vary.

signature of Konshin and Shipov

two different cashiers' signatures

On the right upper corner, there's the monogram of Czar Nicholas II (n°3).

Monogram of Czar Nicholas II

In the white part on the left side, there is a watermark of Catharine (the Great) II (1762-96).
On the back side of this note, we see an even more impressive design.
Here we find an engraved portrait of Catharine the Great.

engraved portrait of Catharine the Great

Next to the Empress, an young boy soldier is depicted. With one hand on the heart and one holding a sword, the seems to tell the bearer of the note, that he's willing to give his life for the Empress.

boy soldier

On the other side of the Empress, a bit less obvious, is her monogram.
As you will observe, the monogram shows an E and not a C or K for Catharine.
And even Catharine was not her given name when she was born. She actually was born as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg. She was married the Peter III, the Russian Emperor.
After Peter III was assassinated, she took over power.
Because of the emperial marriage, she changed her name to Yekaterina Alexeyevna. But as you see, the monogram also doesn't show a Y ... The E comes from the Russian translation of her name : Екатерина Алексеевна.

Monogram of Yekaterina (Екатерина) the Great

back side of 100 ruble Russia 1910 - N°13

This massive note (258 x 121 mm) is not too expensive to have in your collection, but almost always it's a folded version. As even for large wallets, the note is way to large to be kept unfolded.
And this is not even the largest note in this set!

to be continued...

Banknotes of Russia 04

The 10 rubles note of the 1905-1912 set, is another colourful note.
It was issued in 1909 only and comes with 3 State Bank Directors' signatures.

Russia N°11 - 10 rubles

date of issue 1909

The note has a full serial number (common for all original issues).

full serial number on N°11

The value of the note depends once more on the signature of the State Bank Director.
Where the oldest note, again, has the highest value .

3 possible signatures on N° 11 - 10 rubles

Besides the first signature, a large variety of cashiers' signatures can be found too.

signature of the cashier

Each of the 1909 issued notes has also a watermark. This is each time the value of the note in numbers.
For this issue, the number '10' is watermarked all over the note.

The back side of the note looks more like a colourful Persian carpet.
If a jigg saw puzzle was made out of this design, it would take days to complete the puzzle again.
Not only because of the beautiful colours and ornaments, but as well for the cyrillic text.

back side of N°11 - Russia 10 rubles

to be continued...

Banknotes of Russia 03

Previously I wrote something about the 3 rubles banknotes of Russia, issued between 1905 and 1912.
In the same set, there's also a 5 rubles note.
This note has exactly the same size as the 3 rubles note, but there is more to say about this note.

5 rubles 1905 - N°10

This note was issued in 1909 and in 1917. Basic design is the same for both notes, and they are easy to recognise by the serial number / series number.

On both issues 1909 (N° 10) and 1917 (N° 35) we see the date 1909 on the top ornament (detail 1).

detail 5 rubles

For the first issue (similar to the 1 ruble note of 1898 and 1915), the oldest note has a full serial number, where the later issue has a series number (see detail 2).

full serial number - N°10

series number - N° 35

For the 1917 issue, series numbers start at YA 001 till YA 043
Higher series numbers (such as in the example above, YA 044 - 200 and Yb 401 - 500 were issued under Sovjet Government.

The first issue comes in two signatures of the State Bank Director, Konshin till 1912 and Shipov.

Konshin and Shipov signature

The oldest signature (Konshin) is worth more then the newer signature.
Besides one of those signatures, a variety of 13 cashiers' signatures can be found.

Signature variations on N°10

Signature variations on N°35

Finally a picture of the back side of the note, that is again the same for both issues.

back side of N°10 and N°35

to be continued ...

Banknotes of Russia 02

In 1905 a new set of banknotes was issued.
As the notes previous to 1905 are quite expensive, and not (yet) in my collection, I go from n°1 directly to n°9.  A banknote of 3 ruble.

3 is not a common denomination on banknotes. But in Russia, and also in Bulgaria, a 3 ruble note (3 leva in Bulgaria) has been issued.
Did  you know by the way, there was once a 4 dollar bill in Canada?

Back to the item of today...

Russian banknotes in the early 20th century are a pleasure to look at.
Very colourful and with an overwhelming bombastic design.

This note, unlike the one in the previous post, only comes in one shape, but with 3 different basic signatures.

3 rubles 1905

If we take a closer look, we see at first (n°1) the monogram of Czar Nicholas II.

Monogram of Czar Nicholas II

N°2 shows the serial number. This banknote only comes with full serial numbers.
N°3 is the signature of the State Bank Director, wich comes in 3 varieties.

The oldest signature, equals the most valuable note.
Again, like in the previous post, the Shipov signature is the most common.

Konshin signature

Shipov signature

Don't be unhappy however if the banknote in your collection bares a Shipov signature.
Here again there are 13 different signatures of a cashier (n°4).

different cashier's signatures

The back side of the banknote is as well worth taking a closer look :

Krause N°9 back

This is only the smallest denomination of the 1905 set.
All further notes in this set are bigger, and more impressive than this, already beautiful note.

to be continued...

Banknotes of Russia 01

Old Russian banknotes are among the largest banknotes I have in my collection.
But before I get there, let's start the proper way with number 1.

The regluar catalogue starts numbering 1898. Notes previous to that date are Russian Imperial notes and are classified with A-numbers.
As those notes are a bit harder to get, I start this item with notes issued in 1898 and later.

The first note is already worth looking at more closely.

This is the basic type of several banknotes :

sample of note n°1

As you see, some areas are blurred, and numbered.
This is a help to determine which note it is exactely.

The easiest way is to look at n°1 (the date printed on the note).
You can find 1887 - 1889 - 1894 or 1898.
Look if the monogram (n°2) is AIII (Czar Alexander III).
In this case it is an Imperial note. According the year, you will find 4 different signatures under n°4 and many different signatures under n°5
Those notes are quite valuable.

sample A54 Russian Imperial note

The same design was used under Czar Nicholas II.
Those notes all bear the date 1898, even if they were printed later.
Here, the monogram will be NII.

monogram N II

Those notes are most commom, but still worth exploring, as there are still many subtypes.

Now we have to take a closer look at the serial number.
The 1898 issue, has a full serial number (n°3) :

full serial number note n°1

Newer notes, (also dated 1898) have series numbers (2 letters HA or HB and 1, 2 or 3 numbers).

Series number HA *** - note n°15

In case of the full serial number, the banknote has catalogue number 1.
If there is a series number like above, the note (is cheaper and) is printed in 1915 or later.
Notes baring series number HA - 1 to HA 127 were printed in 1915.
All higher series numbers are notes that were printed under the Provisional Government or even the Soviet Government.

note n° 15 - printed after 1915

Finally, let's have a look at the signatures.

The notes, dated 1898 have 4 different signatures.

The 4th signature, of the State Bank Director (Ivan Shipov) is the most common,
as they are also on all notes, printed after 1898.

Under Shipov's signature, a variety of 13 different signatures of cashiers can be found.

The back side of all notes are always the same :

to be continued...