25 rublei 1909

Common. The 1909 Russian Imperial 25 rublei note is a standard denomination from a regular series with substantial print runs. No evidence of short-lived issuance, recalls, or printing anomalies affecting this Pick number. While well-preserved examples command modest premiums due to condition, the note itself is widely available in the collector market.

This note was issued during the final years of Tsarist Russia under the gold standard system, as explicitly stated in the legal text promising redemption in gold coins. The portrait of Alexander II (Tsar from 1855-1881) appears on the reverse, honoring the monarch who initiated significant reforms including the abolition of serfdom, reflecting the Russian Empire's attempt to project stability and legitimacy through its currency design. The 1909 date places this note in the early 20th century, during a period of relative economic consolidation before the upheavals of World War I and the Russian Revolution.

The front features an elegant pink/mauve design dominated by intricate baroque scrollwork, floral ornaments, and fine line-work hatching that serves as anti-counterfeiting security. The Imperial Russian double-headed eagle, crowned and framed in ornamental wreaths, anchors the top center. Large ornamental circles containing the numeral '25' occupy the left and right margins, with the denomination spelled out in full Cyrillic text in the center. The back showcases a formal three-quarter portrait of Tsar Alexander II (1818-1881), rendered in green/olive tones with careful attention to his military uniform, shoulder boards, medals, and decorations. The portrait is set within an ornate oval frame crowned with imperial regalia and surrounded by laurel wreaths. The nameplate 'Александръ II' appears below the portrait. Both sides feature dual serial numbers (ДХ 652051) for verification purposes.

FRONT: 'Государственный кредитный билет' (State Credit Note); 'Двадцать пять рублей' (Twenty-Five Rubles); 'Государственный Банк разменивает кредитные билеты на золотую монету без ограничения суммы (1 рубль = 1/15 империала, содержит 17,424 доли чистого золота)' (The State Bank exchanges credit notes for gold coins without limit on amount [1 ruble = 1/15 imperial, contains 17.424 parts pure gold]); Serial number: 'ДХ 652051'; Year: '1909'. BACK: 'Рублей' (Rubles); 'Александръ II' (Alexander II); Legal text regarding counterfeiting penalties and the authority by which notes were issued for commerce and state convenience.

Steel engraving with multicolor printing, employing separate plates for the pink/mauve front design and green/olive back portrait. This technique, standard for Imperial Russian State Credit Notes of the period, produced the fine line-work patterns visible throughout both sides and enabled precise security features. The printer for the 1909 series was the Russian State Printing Works (Государственная типография), utilizing state-of-the-art engraving and color separation methods typical of high-security banknote production of that era.

Pick 12b(12) designates this as variety 12 of the 12 identified varieties within the 1909 25 rublei series, likely distinguished by signature combinations (noted as 'Sig. Rodionov' in catalog). The signature of Finance Minister or State Bank official Rodionov on this note represents a specific administrative variety within the broad 1909 issue. Serial number ДХ 652051 and the use of pre-1918 Cyrillic orthography (Александръ with the soft sign) are consistent with this series.