5 rublei 1917
“Sig.Bubyakin”
About This Note
This is a Russian Imperial 5 Ruble credit note from 1909, presented in AU condition with excellent preservation showing only light aging patina consistent with age. The note displays the characteristic Art Nouveau ornamental design of the 1909 Imperial series, featuring the double-headed eagle coat of arms prominently on both sides rendered in navy blue on the obverse and multicolor (black, pink, green) on the reverse. The fine engraving work, ornate baroque flourishes, and intact paper structure make this an attractive example of pre-Revolutionary Russian monetary instruments.
Common. This is a standard Imperial Russian 5 Ruble credit note from the widely circulated 1909 design series. The Pick catalog entry P-35(2-4) indicates multiple varieties within this denomination and series, suggesting substantial print runs. While individual notes from this period can show significant age-related wear, AU examples are not uncommon in the collector market. The note's denominal value and circulation during a 16-year period (1909-1925, with continued use after 1917 under RSFSR) resulted in large surviving populations.
Issued by the Imperial Russian State Bank during the final years of Tsarist rule, this credit note represents the last standard circulating design of the Romanov monetary system before the 1917 Revolution. The inscriptions prominently feature the Imperial double-headed eagle with crown and shield, along with guarantees of gold convertibility (1 ruble = 1/15 Imperial gold coin containing 17.424 parts pure gold), reflecting the gold standard backing of Imperial Russian currency. The severe legal warnings against counterfeiting inscribed on the reverse underscore the importance of these notes in the state financial system.
This note features the Imperial Russian coat of arms—the double-headed eagle with crown and shield—as the central design element on both sides. The obverse displays the eagle within an ornate cartouche rendered in navy blue ink on cream background, with the denomination '5' in large numerals at upper left and lower right corners. The reverse presents a more elaborate treatment with the eagle prominently displayed beneath ornamental baroque flourishes and floral wreath elements, printed in black with pink/rose and green background coloring. Both sides feature extensive Art Nouveau ornamental borders with scrollwork, floral motifs, and fine engraved line work throughout. The design reflects the refined aesthetic standards of the 1909 Imperial currency series and includes legal text regarding gold convertibility and counterfeiting penalties.
OBVERSE: Государственный Кредитный Билет / State Credit Note; Пять Рублей / Five Rubles; 1909 (date of design); 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 of sum (1 ruble = 1/15 imperial, contains 17.424 parts pure gold); Управляющий / Managing Director; Кассир / Cashier; Serial designation УБ-412. REVERSE: Пять Рублей / Five Rubles; 1 Размѣнь государственных кредитных билетов на золотую монету обезпечена всѣми достояниемъ государства и государственные кредитные билеты имѣютъ во всѣй империи наравнѣ съ золотою монетою. За подделку кредитных билетов виновные подвергаются лишению всѣхъ прав состояния и ссылкѣ на каторгу, работу / The exchange of State credit notes for gold coins is secured by all the wealth of the State and State credit notes have the same value throughout the Empire as gold coins. For counterfeiting credit notes, the guilty are deprived of all civil rights and exiled to hard labor.
Intaglio engraving (copperplate), which produced the fine line work, intricate shading, and detailed ornamental patterns visible throughout both sides. The 1909 Imperial Russian series was produced by the State Security Printing Works in St. Petersburg using traditional engraved steel plates. The multicolor printing on the reverse (black, pink, and green) was achieved through separate plate runs, a sophisticated technique typical of high-security currency production of the era.
The catalog designation P-35(2-4) indicates this belongs to varieties 2-4 of the Pick 35 classification for Russian 5 Ruble notes. The serial designation 'УБ-412' visible on both sides represents the individual note's serial number. Without access to the reverse side's specific printer marks or signature varieties, the precise variety within the (2-4) range cannot be definitively determined from the images alone. However, the 1909 date and Imperial pre-Revolutionary design characteristics confirm this as an example of the standard Imperial series rather than post-1917 RSFSR overprints or variants.
