25 rublei 1922
About This Note
This is a Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic 25 rubles banknote from 1922, graded in Excellent condition. The note features an ornate heraldic design dominated by two dragon-like supporters flanking a shield crowned with a hammer and sickle symbol, rendered in burgundy and cream with intricate fine-line engraving throughout. The reverse displays a uniform geometric crosshatching security pattern, with minimal wear evident and excellent preservation of both the artistic detail and the fine linework characteristic of early Soviet currency.
Common. The 25 rubles 1922 (Pick P-150) is a widely circulated denomination from the early Soviet period with substantial surviving examples in the market. The R.S.F.S.R. issued this note in significant quantities for circulation during 1922, and it remains readily available to collectors in various grades. Notes in EF condition command modest premiums over lower grades but are not difficult to acquire.
Issued by the State Bank of the R.S.F.S.R. in 1922, during the early years of the Soviet Union following the Russian Civil War, this banknote reflects the newly established communist state's heraldic symbolism. The hammer and sickle emblem crowning the shield, paired with the classical dragon supporters, represents the blending of traditional heraldic design with revolutionary Soviet iconography. The inscription 'Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic' affirms the legitimacy of the nascent Soviet state during a period of currency stabilization and economic consolidation.
The obverse features an elaborate heraldic coat of arms as the central design element, with two symmetrical dragon-like creatures (mythological supporters) flanking a central shield. The shield is ornately decorated and crowned with a hammer and sickle symbol—the paramount emblem of Soviet authority. Decorative rosette ornaments occupy all four corners, and the entire design is framed by a double rectangular border. The denomination '25' appears prominently within the central cartouche. The reverse side abandons figurative imagery entirely, consisting of a dense, uniform geometric trellis or crosshatching pattern covering the entire surface, serving both decorative and security purposes. The color scheme throughout is restrained, employing burgundy/maroon ink on cream or off-white paper stock.
Front Side: '25' (denomination in Arabic numerals); 'РОССИЙСКАЯ СОЦИАЛИСТИЧЕСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАТИВНАЯ СОВЕТСКАЯ РЕСПУБЛИКА' (Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic); '1922' (year of issue in Arabic numerals); 'ПОДДЁЛКА ПРЕСЛЕДУЕТСЯ ПО ЗАКОНУ.' (Counterfeiting is prosecuted by law.). Back Side: No inscriptions present.
Intaglio engraving (line engraving and relief printing combination), characteristic of high-security banknote production. The intricate crosshatching patterns visible on both sides, fine-line detail work, and the clarity of the heraldic imagery indicate skilled engraving and precision press work. This note was likely produced by the State Security Printing Works (Goznak), the Soviet Union's official banknote printer, though specific printer attribution for Pick P-150 would require archival confirmation.
No specific signature varieties, watermark variants, or overprints are evident from the visual analysis of this specimen. Pick P-150 is cataloged as a single main type; however, minor printing variations and signature combinations may exist among specimens from different printing runs during 1922. Serial number prefixes and specific signatures, if present on this note, would require examination of the note's margins and lower sections to determine precise variety classification. Standard cataloging treats this as a single variety without widely documented major variants.
