25 rublei 1909

Common. The 1909 25 Rublei (Pick P-12a) was issued in substantial quantities by the Russian Imperial State Bank as a standard denomination within the circulating currency system. No evidence of limited print runs, recalls, or short-lived issuing periods exists for this Pick number. The VF condition grade observed is typical for notes from this series that have circulated and been stored over more than a century. Such notes are regularly encountered in the numismatic market and collections of Imperial Russian banknotes.

This 1909 25 Rublei note was issued during the twilight years of Tsar Nicholas II's reign, nearly a decade after Alexander III's death in 1894, yet still honoring that predecessor on the reverse as was customary for Imperial Russian banknotes of this era. The prominent declaration that the State Bank would exchange these credit notes for gold without limit—specifying the gold content standard of 17.424 parts pure gold per ruble—reflects Russia's adherence to the gold standard during this pre-Revolutionary period. The note represents the formal monetary system of the Russian Empire, issued from Saint Petersburg, just eight years before the collapse of Imperial rule in 1917.

The obverse features a symmetrical baroque design centered on the Imperial Russian double-headed eagle crowned with the imperial crown, positioned within an ornate shield on the left. The denomination '25' appears in large decorative circular medallions on the right side, flanked by elaborate floral scrollwork and security border patterns. The note employs a pink and mauve base tint with green accents and fine black line engraving throughout. The reverse showcases a formal three-quarter-length portrait of Emperor Alexander III (1845-1894) in full military dress uniform adorned with orders and decorations, positioned within an ornamental oval frame topped by the imperial double-headed eagle with laurel wreath. Elaborate baroque scrollwork and decorative borders frame the entire composition, with the denomination repeated at the top of the reverse design.

FRONT SIDE: Serial number В.І.876011 (V.I. 876011); ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ КРЕДИТНЫЙ БИЛЕТ (State Credit Note); ДВАДЦАТЬ ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ (Twenty-Five Rubles); ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ БАНК РАЗМЕНИВАЕТЪ КРЕДИТНЫЕ БИЛЕТЫ НА ЗОЛОТУЮ МОНЕТУ БЕЗ ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ СУММЫ (1 РУБЛЬ = 1/15 ИМПЕРИАЛА СОДЕРЖИТ 17, 424 ДОЛИ ЧИСТОГО ЗОЛОТА) - (State Bank exchanges credit notes for gold coins without limit of sum. 1 Ruble = 1/15 Imperial contains 17.424 parts pure gold); Signature: Правдинский Климентий (Pravdinskiy Klimentiy); Location and date: Санкт Петербург (Saint Petersburg), 1909. BACK SIDE: ДВАДЦАТЬ ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ (Twenty-Five Rubles); АЛЕКСАНДРЪ III (Alexander III); В РАЗДЕЛЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫХ КРЕДИТНЫХ БИЛЕТОВ НА ЗОЛОТУЮ МОНЕТУ ОБЕСПЕЧИВАЕТСЯ ХРАНЕНИЕМ В ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ КАЗНАЧЕЙСТВЕ ЗОЛОТЫХ МОНЕТ И СЛИТКОВ... (Regarding the division of State credit notes in gold coin, it is ensured by storage in the State Treasury of gold coins and ingots, with all procedures and rules maintained in full legal order).

This note was produced using the intaglio (engraved relief) printing method, characteristic of all Russian Imperial State Credit Notes of this period. The fine line patterns, intricate security borders, elaborate portrait engraving, and complex decorative elements visible throughout indicate work by the State Printing Works (Государственная Печатня) in Saint Petersburg. The multi-color printing technique using pink, mauve, green, black, and gray inks was applied in successive passes to create the security tinting and visual complexity. The fine mesh patterns and detailed engraving work throughout demonstrate the sophisticated security printing standards of Imperial Russia.

This specific note is identified as variety P-12a(20) per the catalog data, with the signature of Klimentiy Pravdinskiy and serial number В.І.876011. The 'a' designation in Pick P-12a(20) distinguishes this from other varieties of the 1909 25 Rublei issue. Signature varieties are known to exist on Russian Imperial credit notes of this period, with different signatures appearing on notes from different printing dates or batches. The serial number prefix В.І. (Cyrillic 'V.I.') appears consistent with the documented format for this issue, though specific variety designation within the numeric sequence would require consultation of detailed Russian banknote catalogs that track all signature and serial number variants.