RUSSIAN COINS AND CURRENCY

CLICK HERE FOR COINS OF THE FORMER REPUBLICS OF THE U.S.S.R.

BOLSHEVIK 5 RUBLE NOTE OF RUSSIA

World War I brought about the fall Russian Empire.  After the collapse of the Czarist government in 1917, the Provisional Russian Government and the Bolsheviks continued to issue the Czarist 5 Ruble note dated 1909.  The only significant difference between the Czarist and the Bolshevik issues is that the Czarist notes had a full serial number consisting of two letters and six digits, while the Bolshevik notes had only a series number consisting of two letters and 3 digits.  The lack of serial numbers and backdating the notes allowed them to issue large quantities of unbacked currency.   The beautiful, large (99mm x 158), blue and pink vertical format 5 Ruble note features the Romanov Imperial Eagle on both sides.  When first issued, the note could be exchanged 3.87 grams of gold, which today would be worth over $200!  It is a large, impressive piece of historical currency from a turbulent time in Russian histor

---

RUSSIAN "BABYLONIAN" NOTES URGES "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!

In 1919, after the Bolshevik victory in the Russian Revolution, the fledgling Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic, issued a series of currency notes with the inscriptions "WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!" written in seven languages: Russian, German, French, Italian, Greek, English, Arabic, and Chinese. Because of the linguistic multiplicity, these notes are known as "Babylonians," a reference to the Biblical Tower of Babel.  The phrase is perhaps the most well-known line in the "Communist Manifesto", written in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.   Also featured on the notes is the hammer and sickle within a wreath.  All three notes have a similar design featuring the inscriptions on one side and the denomination and date on the other.

---

TWILIGHT OF THE U.S.S.R COIN SET  

The seven coins in this set were issued shortly before the collapse of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.  The set includes the 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Kopecks dating between 1987 and 1991 in Uncirculated condition.  All coins have similar designs. One side features a hammer and sickle enveloping the earth.  The other side has the date and denomination.  It is an interesting and inexpensive reminder of the "evil empire".

---

SOVIET UNION LOTTERY BONDS

Opportunities for savings or investment were severely limited in the Soviet Union.  One could put their money into the state bank which paid 2% to 3% interest or one could buy government issued lottery bonds.  These 25 and 50 Ruble lottery bond was issued by the Soviet Union in 1982.   Monthly drawings were held over a 20-year period. Prizes ranging from 100 Rubles to 10,000 Rubles (or a new Volga automobile and 5000 Rubles. Over the 20-year period approximately 32% of the bonds would be drawn for a prize, the rest would get back their principal.  With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and subsequent inflation, the bonds became virtually worthless.  The green bond measures 160 x 116mm.  They are historic items from the final decade of the Soviet Union.

---

LENIN CHILDREN'S FUND NOTE SET

These unusual notes were issued by the Soviet Union's V. I. Lenin Children's Fund in 1988.  For many years the Soviet Union did not allow for private charities. The government was supposed to take care of everyone so officially there was no need for charities.  The fallacy of this policy became increasingly clear as the Soviet Union opened up under Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms in the 1980's and independent charities were again permitted.  One the earliest and largest of the new charities was the Lenin Children's Fund. It was organized in October 1987 with the support of many top government officials, including Gorbachev himself.  The organization took the name of a similar charity that had been abolished by the government in 1938, ostensibly because all orphaned children were safely under government care. On the national level it advocated policies to better support and care for abandoned children.  On the local level it built children's homes and provided resources to orphanages and needy children. During the first two years of its existence, it was one of the most successful charities in Russia, raising over 200 million rubles through a variety of activities including a Christmas telethon and a weeklong rock music festival.  The success however was short-lived.  In 1990-91 the fund received considerable negative publicity from its Leningrad branch, with reports of cruelty to children, wasteful spending and authoritarian management.  Other branches suffered problems due to the lack of experience in operating a charity.  And with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the name Lenin Children's Fund became a liability.  These 1988 dated notes were issued by the organization in exchange for donations for building new children's homes.  The 5-note set includes 1, 3, 5, 10 and 25 Rubles.  The designs feature colorful pictures of young children playing.  The backs summarize some of charity's activities. The watermarked notes are 152 x 60mm and were printed by Goznak State Printer.

---

CURRENCY OF RUSSIA'S INFAMOUS MMM CORPORATION

The MMM Corporation in Russia was one of the most spectacular scams in history.  As many as 40 Million people lost as much as $10 Billion dollars by the time it was closed down by Russian authorities.  MMM was founded in 1989 by Sergei Mavrodi and two associates. After several unsuccessful ventures he started a Ponzi scheme.  With promises of fantastic returns, investors poured millions of Rubles into unregistered "shares".  Money from the later investors was used to provide big payoffs for the early investors.  As word of the success of the early investors spread, even more money poured into the company. The price of shares soared from 1,600 rubles per share in February 1994 to around 115,000 rubles in late July 1994. Mavrodi became a symbol of prosperity and had his own private army.  Because the price of shares was so high, Mavrodi started to issue partial shares, called Biletov, in July 1994. 1 Bilet was worth 1/100 of a share. The Biletov looked like banknotes and came in standard denominations from 1 to 10000 Biletov.  The Biletov notes bore Mavrodi’s portrait, the MMM logo and a serial number on the front and the MMM logo on the back.  Due to their seemingly endless increase in value, they were often preferred over the rapidly depreciating official Russian currency.  In the summer of 1994 the pyramid scheme collapsed and Mavrodi was jailed.  While in jail he ran for, and won, a seat in the Russian Duma (parliament), thereby gaining parliamentary immunity for his crimes.  He was expelled from the Duma,, but went into hiding before he could be arrested.   He was finally captured and arrested in 2003.  In 2007 he was fined a few hundred dollars and sentenced to four and a half years in a penal colony.  Since his release he started similar Ponzi schemes in India, China, South Africa  and South Africa.  More tecently he was involved promoting bitcoins in Zimbabwe and Nigeria  Some claim that he is behind the rapid rise and decline in the value of the bitcoin. No banknotes have been reported from his latest schemes. We offer a set of 8 different Crisp Uncirculated 1994 MMM Biletov notes ranging from 1 to 10,000 Biletov. They serve as a reminder of this and other financial follies

---

LENIN ON TRANSITIONAL RUSSIAN BANKNOTE

Vladimir Lenin is featured on this 1992 transitional banknote of the Russian Federation.  The note was issued shortly after the collapse of Union on December 26, 1991 and before new banknote designs could be prepared.  The note is a slightly modified version of the 1991 Soviet 500 Ruble note.  The front of the features a portrait of Lenin, the arms of the Soviet Union and the legend reads that it is a "State banknote of the U.S.S.R.".  The back has a view of Kremlin.  The main difference is that on the back the note is dated 1992 and has a guilloche in the watermark area.  It is a colorful and unusual transitional note bearing the name of a country that no longer existed when it was issued.

---

RUSSIA REVALUES THE RUBLE

Russia suffered from severe inflation after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. On January 1, 1998 Russia did a 1000 to 1 revaluation of the Ruble. 1 new Ruble was worth 1000 of the old Rubles.  In preparation for the revaluation new coins were struck starting in 1997.  This six-coin set includes the 1, 5, 10 and 50 Kopeck, 1 and 2 Rubles dated 1997 or 1998.  The Kopeck denominated coins all depict St. George slaying the Dragon.  St. George is the patron Saint of Russia.  The 1 and 2 Ruble coins depict the two-headed Russia eagle.

---

BI-METALLIC RUSSIAN COINS HONOR HISTORICAL TOWNS

In 2002 Russia began an annual program that each year commemorates some of their historical towns on bi-metallic 10 Ruble coins. The coins picture the city and its arms on one side and has the standard Russian 10 Ruble obverse on the other. Anywere betwen zero and four coins are issued each year. Though Russia has discontinued issuing bimetalic 10 Rubles for general circulation, the bi-metalic 10 Ruble has continued to be used for the Historic Towns series.
The 2002 series was the first in the series. It honored the towns Kostroma, Starya Russa and Derbent. The 2003 series consists of 4 coins, commemorating the historic cities of Kasimov, Dorogobuzh, Murmom and Pskov. The 2004 series consists of 3 coins and honored the towns of Dmitgrov, Kemy and Riyazhsk. The 2005 series honors the towns of Mcensk, Kazan, Borovsk and Kaliningrad. The 2006 Series honored the towns of Torzhok, Kargopol and Belograd. The 2007 series pictured the towns of Gdov, Veliky Ustyug and Vologada. The 2008 Historic towns are Azov, Prioziorsk, Smolensk and Vladimir. The 2009 series includes the towns of Galich, Kaluga, Veliky Novogorod and Vyborg. The 2010 series includes two coins, depicting the historic towns of of Bryansk and Yuryevets. The 2011 set includes only two coins, featuring the towns of Yelets and Solikamsk. Only one coin was issued in the series for 2012: Belozersk.  No coins were issued in 2013.  One coin was issued in 2014 for the historic town of Nerekhta. No coins were issued for 2015.  Three towns were commemorated in 2016: Rzhev, Velikie Luki and Zubsov.  One coin was issued in 2017 for the historic town of Olonets.  One coin was issued for 2018 for the town of Gorokhovets.  The 2019 issues were for the historic towns of Klin and Vyzama.

---

BI-METALLIC RUSSIAN COINS CELEBRATE REGIONS

In 2005 Russia started a new series of bi-metallic 10 Ruble coins honoring the regions of Russia. In many ways it is similar to the very successful State Quarters program of the United States. Each year various regions will be honored. The coins feature the regions arms on one side and the denomination on the other. The coins are 27mm in diameter with a brass ring around a copper-nickel center.  The obverse features the denomination with a shifting image within the “0” that changes from "10" to "РУБ" (Ruble) as the coin is turned.  Anywhere between zeor and six coins are issued each year.  Though Russia has discontinued issuing bimetalic 10 Rubles for general circulation, the bi-metalic 10 Ruble has continued to be used for the Region series.
The first six coins, dated 2005, include Leningrad, Tver, Oryol, Krasnodar, Republic of Tartarstan and Moscow. In 2006 coins were issued for the Regions of Chita, Sakhalin, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Republic of Altari and the Maritime Region. The 2007 series feature Arkhangelsk Region. Republic of Bashkortostan, Republic of Khakasia, Lipetsk Region, Novosibirsk Region and Rostov region. The 2008 regions coins honors Astrakhan Region, Kabaradan-Balkar Republic, Svedolovsk Region and Udmurt Region. The 2009 regions coins features The Republic of Adygeya, The Jewish Autonomous Region, the Republic of Kalmykiya, the Kirovsk Region and the Republic of Komi.  The 2010 regions coins were issued in very limited quantities and we have not been able to acquire them at a reasonable price.  The 2011 regions coins honor Republic of Butyatiya and Voronezh Region.   No coins in the regions series were issued in 2012.  Two coins were issued in the series in 2013. One for the Republic of Dagestan and the other for the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.  Five coins were issued in 2014 commemorating Chelyabinsk Region, The Republic of Ingushetia, Penza Region, Saratov Region and Tyumen Region.  No coins were issued in this series in 2015.  In 2016 the Amur, Belgorod and Irkutsk Regions were commemorated.  In 2017 the Tambov and Ulyanovsk regions were commemorated.  In 2018 Kurgan was honored.  The 2019 issue featjured Kostroma Oblast.   

---

SOCHI WINTER OLYMPIC COMMEMORATIVE COMBINES NEW AND OLD

Russia issued these 25 Ruble coins to commemorate the 2014 Winter Olympic Games at  the Russian resort city of Sochi. The 27mm coin come sealed in a plastic holder.  This was the first Winter Olympic Games to be held in Russia.   The obverse of the coins all feature the triple-crowned imperial Russian Eagle with Saint George and the dragon on its breast, a design that originated in Czarist times.  Different reverses were used for each annual issue.  The 2011 features issue features the Sochi Olympic logo, which includes a web address ( sochi.ru ) and the Olympic ring against the mountains that are reflected on the sea.  It represents Sochi as a meeting point between the mountains and the sea.   It is the first coin that I know of that featured a web address in its design. 

---

RUSSIA WWII CITIES OF MILITARY GLORY COINS

In 2011 Russia began a new annual series of commemorative 10 Ruble coins honoring "Cities of Military Glory". The title of “City of Military Glory” has thus far been bestowed upon some 35 cities where soldiers and citizens displayed exceptional heroism in World War II. The 22mm brass plated steel coins feature the coat-of-arms of the city on one side and the standard 10 Ruble obverse. The first eight cities to be honored were Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol, Vladikavkaz, Malgobek, Rzhev, Yelets, and Yelnya in 2011.  In 2012 Dmitrov, Luga, Polyarny, Rostov-on-Don, Tuaspe, Velikiye Luki, Velikiye Novgorod and Voronezh where honored.  In 2013 the cities of Vyzama, Kronstadt, Naro-Fominsk, Pskov, Kozelsk, Arkhangelsk, Volokolmask and Bryansk where honored. 

---

RUSSIA COMMEMORATES DEFEAT OF NAPOLEON

Russia issued this set of ten 5 Ruble coins in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Russia's victory over Napoleon in the "Patriotic War of 1812".  Each coin features a different monument commemorating significant battles and events of the war. The obverses feature the denomination and date.   The nickel-plated steel coins are 25mm and are Uncirculated.

---

COINS OF RUSSIAN REPUBLIC  

This set of eight recent Russian coins includes the 1, 5, 10 and 50 Kopeck which feature St. George slaying the dragon and the 1, 2, 5 and 10 Rubles which features the double headed Russian Eagle. The 10 Rubles is struck in brass-plated steel and includes a shifting image within the “0” of the numeral 10 that change from “10” to “РУБ” (RUB) as the angle of the coin is changed. The coins date from 1999 to 2014 and are Uncirculated.

---

RUSSIA CELEBRATES 1150th ANNIVERSARY OF STATEHOOD 

Russia released this 2012 dated 22mm brass plated steel 10 Ruble coin to celebrate the 1150th anniversary of Russian statehood.  Few nations achieve such a long history of nationhood. One side of the coin depicts the Millennium of Russia monument built in 1862 in Novgorod.  The other side is the standard 10 Ruble obverse.  According to tradition, Russia was founded at Novgorod in 862AD by a Viking named Rurik who traveled down from Scandinavia through the Volga River system.

---

RUSSIA CELEBRATES CRIMEAN TAKEOVER WITH BANKNOTE

In 2014 Russia took Crimea from Ukraine and incorporated it into Russia. To commemorate the annexation of Crimea, Russia issued a 100 Ruble note in 2015.  One side is devoted to Sevastopol.  It features the Monument to the Ships sunk in the Siege of Sevastopol in 1854.  In the background is a painting of sailing ships and outlines St. Vladimir’s Cathedral and other historic buildings.  The other side is devoted to Crimea.  It features the famous “Swallow’s Nest” castle.  In the background are Crimean landmarks including the Big Khan Mosque and RT-70 radio telescope.  At the bottom is a QR code for the Bank of Russia web page that describes the note.  The note has a watermark of Catherine the Great, who conquered Crimea in 1783. The colorful note measures 150 x 65mm.

---

2016 RUSSIAN COIN SET   

In 2016 Russia introduced four new regular issue coins into circulation in 2016.  The 1, 2, 5 and 10 feature the crowned Russian arms used by the Czars, rather than the uncrowned eagle of the Bank of Russia that was used on the previous coin issues.  Perhaps Putin is preparing to make himself Czar.  The reverse design features the denomination and an ornamental sprig. The 10 Rubles is struck in brass-plated steel and includes a shifting image within the “0” of the numeral 10 that change from “10” to “РУБ” (RUB) as the angle of the coin is changed.  The other denominations are nickel-plated steel. 

---

2014 CRIMEA COIN SET

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia over control of Crimea goes back many years.  In 1783 Catherine the Great made Crimea part of the Russian Empire.  During the Russian civil war the region declared independence and passed between Bolshevik and White Government forces several times, accompanied by a massive slaughter of civilians.  In 1921 it was made an autonomous republic within Russia.  Greeks, Armenians and Bulgarians living in Crimea were forced to leave.   During World War II the area came under German control and the sizeable Jewish population was annihilated.  After the Soviets regained control the entire population of Crimean Tatars, who had at one time made up a majority of the region, were forcibly deported.  Russian families were settled in Crimea to replace them.  In 1954 Crimea was transferred from Russia to Ukraine.  At the time it made little difference, since both were part of the Soviet Union.   After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 Crimea became part of Ukraine.  Russia found its Black Sea fleet and other military installations now located in independent Ukraine rather on its own soil.  A majority of the population of Crimea is Russian, as most other ethnic groups had been “cleansed” from the area.   In February 2014 pro-Russian forces, supported by Moscow, took control over Crimea. A quickly called referendum was held on March 16, with a vast majority voting to join Russia.  On March 17 the newly created Crimean parliament declared independence from Ukraine, and on the following day, Crimea officially became part of Russia.  The transfer has not been widely recognized.   This unofficial four coin set of Crimea includes the 5, 10, 25 and 100 Rubles.  The 25 and 100 Rubles are bi-metallic.  The designs of the 5 and 25 Rubles feature voting, while the 10 and 100 Rubles depict a fist.  The reverse of the all the coins feature the Arms of Crimea. 

---

VERY RARE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL UNION ORDER PRESENTATION COINS

The Russian Imperial Union Order was founded in Paris in 1929 by a group of Russian exiles in order to promote the legitimate line of the Russian Czar and re-establish Russia as a monarchy.  In 1979 it struck a 1 Ruble to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the organization. The obverse depicts the emblem of the order: the Czarist eagle with a sword. The inscriptions translate as: "Russian Imperial Union-Order",  "For the Faith, the Czar and the Fatherland", "1929-1989", "60 years of struggle" and "We are Russian, God is with us". The reverse depicts the portrait of Czar Nicholas II with inscriptions: "1894-1917" (the dates of his reign), "Only National Assembly will choose the worthy successor" and the denomination "Ruble".  The coins are 38.25mm in diameters. Examples struck in copper, silver and gold were sold to supporters and the public as a fundraiser.  In addition 60 pieces were struck in copper-nickel with an antiqued finish and 28 Essais were struck in antiqued bronze for presentation purposes. The Essai features the czarist eagle obverse on one side and the word Essai in Russian on the other.   These rare presentation coins have not been available to the public until now. 

---

ALSO SEE:

COINS OF THE FORMER REPUBLICS OF THE U.S.S.R.

---

<-- PREVIOUS PAGE      NEXT PAGE -->