25 000 rublei 1922
“Armenian SSR”
About This Note
This is a 25,000 rublei banknote issued by the Erevan State Bank Branch in 1922, representing one of the early currency issues of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. The note features a striking design centered on a circular medallion depicting an Armenian mountain landscape with sunrise/sunset and hammer-and-sickle symbolism, framed by ornate laurel branches and decorative cartouches. In VF condition, the note exhibits moderate age-related wear including browning, foxing, and brittleness typical of Soviet-era currency from this turbulent period, making it an important document of Armenian numismatic history.
common
Issued in 1922, just three years after Armenia's incorporation into the Soviet Union, this banknote reflects the early Soviet monetary reforms and the establishment of republican financial institutions under Moscow's control. The dual Armenian-Russian inscriptions and the central mountain landscape symbolize both Armenian national identity and Soviet socialist ideology. The hammer-and-sickle symbol beneath the mountain represents the revolutionary commitment of the Armenian SSR during the formative years of the Soviet republics.
The obverse features a beautifully engraved central circular medallion containing a naturalistic Armenian mountain landscape with a rising or setting sun, symbolizing Armenia's aspirations and natural geography. Below this landscape sits the hammer-and-sickle emblem, the universal symbol of Soviet socialism. The denomination '25000' appears twice in ornate decorative cartouches flanking the central medallion, with elegant laurel or wheat branches providing vertical framing on both sides. The text header displays the official name of the issuing authority in both Armenian and Russian scripts, emphasizing the bilingual nature of the Armenian SSR. The reverse is simpler in composition, dominated by a large '25000' numeral housed within an ornamental cartouche, surrounded by an intricate fine-line geometric repeating pattern that serves both decorative and anti-counterfeiting purposes. All sides employ a teal/blue-green color scheme on a light tan/beige paper base.
Front side - Armenian: 'ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՍՈՑԻԱԼԻՍՏԱԿԱՆ ՀԱՆՐԱՊԵՏՈՒԹՅԱՆ' (Socialist Republic of Armenia). Russian: 'СОЦИАЛИСТИЧЕСКАЯ СОВЕТСКАЯ РЕСПУБЛИКА АРМЕНИИ' (Socialist Soviet Republic of Armenia). Denomination: '25000' (appears in two cartouches). Date: '1922'. Serial identifier: 'Ц-012' (Cyrillic C-012). Back side - Denomination: '25000' (in ornamental cartouche).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving/taille-douce), evidenced by the intricate fine-line work, complex geometric borders, and layered decorative details visible throughout both sides. The repeating geometric background patterns on the reverse and the detailed medallion work on the obverse are characteristic of high-security engraved currency production. This note was likely produced by Soviet state printing facilities, possibly the Moscow or Leningrad security printers that handled Armenian SSR currency during this period.
Pick catalog reference P-S681a indicates this is specifically the 'a' variety of this denomination. The serial number prefix 'Ц-012' visible on this specimen may indicate a specific printing series or batch from the Erevan State Bank Branch. Collectors should note variations in serial number prefixes and any differences in color intensity or inscription placement, as these can indicate different printings or varieties within this Pick number designation. The 1922 date is consistent with the cataloged year of issue for this denomination.
