5 rublei 1909

Common. The 1909 5 ruble denomination (Pick-10a) was issued in substantial quantities by the Russian State Bank during the final years of the Romanov dynasty. While individual notes from this series are readily available in various condition grades on the numismatic market, indicating a relatively large surviving population. The Fair condition grade and Shagin signature do not indicate a scarce variety.

This 5 ruble note was issued during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II under the auspices of the Russian State Bank (Государственный Банк), representing the final decade of Imperial Russian currency before the Revolution. The prominent inscriptions reference the gold standard backing ('exchanges credit notes for gold coins without limit' and specify the gold content as '17.424 parts of pure gold per Imperial ruble'), reflecting the pre-World War I monetary stability and the Empire's commitment to the gold standard. The heraldic imagery—including the crowned double-headed eagle, the two imperial globes, and ornate baroque flourishes—symbolized the power and legitimacy of the Russian autocracy during this transitional period.

The front of this note features a centrally-positioned oval cartouche containing the Russian Imperial coat of arms—a crowned double-headed eagle with shield—dated 1909. The design is framed by symmetrical ornamental flourishes with baroque-style scrollwork and floral motifs executed in fine engraving. The back presents a more elaborate heraldic composition, with the double-headed eagle centered within a shield design, flanked by two prominent crowned spheres (imperial globes) representing supreme power, and surrounded by laurel wreaths, acanthus leaf designs, and intricate scrollwork. The entire composition on both sides is bounded by decorative borders featuring fine line work and ornamental patterns. The color palette consists primarily of dark blue and navy inks on cream-colored paper with accents of coral/pink and green tones, typical of the Imperial printing technique of this era.

FRONT SIDE: 'ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ КРЕДИТНЫЙ БИЛЕТ ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ' (State Credit Note Five Rubles); 'ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ БАНК РАЗМЕНИВАЕТ КРЕДИТНЫЕ БИЛЕТЫ НА ЗОЛОТУЮ МОНЕТУ БЕЗ ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ СУММЫ' (The State Bank exchanges credit notes for gold coins without limit of amount); 'ОДИН РУБЛЬ ИМПЕРИАЛА СОДЕРЖИТ 17,424 ДОЛЕЙ ЧИСТОГО ЗОЛОТА' (One ruble of the Imperial contains 17.424 parts of pure gold); Serial number: 'ЗЦ 372644'. BACK SIDE: 'ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ' (Five Rubles). Multiple denomination numerals '5' appear on both sides.

Intaglio (engraved) printing, the standard security printing method for Russian Imperial banknotes of this period. The fine line work, detailed coat of arms rendering, intricate border patterns, and ornamental flourishes visible throughout are characteristic of high-quality engraving by skilled Russian security printers of the State Bank printing works. The complexity of the design and the difficulty in reproducing the fine detail served as security features against counterfeiting.

This note bears the signature identifier 'Shagin' (Sig. Shagin) as noted in the collector notes. The 1909 5 ruble notes exist with various signature combinations of Russian State Bank officials; the Shagin signature variety is a documented variant within the P-10a(26) classification. The serial number 'ЗЦ 372644' is a specific individual identifier for this particular note. Variations in the 1909 series include different signature combinations and serial number prefixes reflecting different periods of issue and different official combinations during the year.