25 rublei 1920
About This Note
This is an EF-grade 25 Ruble note issued by the Far Eastern Republic in 1920, representing a fascinating artifact from Russia's Civil War period. The note features elegant ornate borders with fine mesh texturing on the obverse and a striking circular medallion with a stylized tree design on the reverse, printed in dark purple/blue ink. Despite age-appropriate patina and foxing consistent with a 103-year-old note, the piece shows no major damage and retains strong visual clarity, making it an attractive example of early Soviet monetary history.
common. The Far Eastern Republic issued currency during its brief existence (1920-1922) for functional circulation across its territory. While not as commonly encountered as major Soviet issues, FER notes in EF condition are neither scarce nor particularly valuable. The straightforward design and apparent non-emergency status of this denomination suggest reasonable production quantities. No evidence of recalled status or extreme scarcity exists for this Pick number.
The Far Eastern Republic (1920-1922) was a short-lived buffer state established between Soviet Russia and Japan during the Russian Civil War, issuing its own currency to assert sovereignty and facilitate local commerce. The inscription 'Obligatory for circulation on par with credit notes' reflects the monetary chaos of the period, when multiple issuing authorities competed for legitimacy. The security warning 'Counterfeiting is punished by law' underscores the prevalence of forgery during this unstable era when numerous competing currencies and regional notes flooded the market.
The obverse features a formal, symmetrical layout with centered Cyrillic text announcing the 25-ruble denomination and Far Eastern Republic issuer, framed by ornate geometric borders. The reverse displays the note's most distinctive element: a circular medallion containing a stylized tree or botanical motif rendered in fine engraved detail, with letters A, B, and D positioned at cardinal points around the design—likely indicating signature or authorization positions. The ornamental circular border pattern surrounding the medallion adds to the note's classical design aesthetic. Both sides employ fine security patterns (mesh on obverse, crosshatch on reverse) typical of early 20th-century engraved currency production.
FRONT: 'РАСЧЕТНЫЙ ЗНАК' (Clearing mark / Settlement mark); 'ДАЛЬНЕ-ВОСТОЧНОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ' (Of the Far Eastern Republic); 'ДВАДЦАТЬ ПЯТЬ' (Twenty five); '25' (numerals); 'РУБЛЕЙ' (Rubles); 'Обязателен к обращению наравне с кредитными билетами' (Obligatory for circulation on par with credit notes); 'А В' (Initials A.V.); '1 9 2 0 г' (Year 1920); '001' (serial element). BACK: 'ПОДДЕЛКА ПРЕСЛЕДУЕТСЯ ЗАКОНОМ' (Counterfeiting is punished by law).
Intaglio (engraved) printing on both sides, evidenced by the fine mesh and crosshatch security patterns visible throughout and the detailed engraved imagery of the central medallion. The precision of line work and depth of impression are characteristic of professional security printing from the period. This production method was standard for Russian and Soviet currency of 1920.
Serial number '001' observed, with signature initials 'А В' (A.V.). The specific signature authority and any known printer's marks should be cross-referenced with detailed FER currency catalogs, as the Far Eastern Republic used various signatories during its brief operational period. No overprints or significant varieties are apparent in this example.
