1 kopeika 1979
About This Note
This is a 1 kopek voucher from 1979 issued by the USSR Ministry of Coal Mining for internal use at Arcticcoal (Арктингуголь) enterprises in Spitsbergen. The note features an attractive greenish-tinted design with symmetrical ornate star-burst emblems and intricate geometric security patterns throughout, printed in fine-line engraving. In uncirculated condition, this unlisted Pick catalog item represents an interesting industrial scrip note from the Soviet Arctic mining operations.
common. This is an internal industrial voucher with likely modest print runs, but such scrip notes were produced in sufficient quantities for operational needs at the mining enterprise. The note's unlisted status in major catalogs (Pick, Friedberg) reflects its specialized, non-circulating nature rather than scarcity. No evidence of recall, short-lived issuance, or collector demand suggests this remains a common item in the secondary market despite its specialized provenance.
This voucher was issued during the height of Soviet Arctic resource exploitation, specifically for the coal mining operations on Spitsbergen managed by the State Trust Arcticcoal under the USSR Ministry of Coal Industry. The note's design and denomination system reflect the Soviet practice of issuing internal settlement tokens and vouchers (талоны) for isolated industrial enterprises, allowing for controlled economic activity within mining camps. The 1979 date places this during the late Brezhnev era when Soviet Arctic development was a strategic priority.
The note features a formal, symmetric design typical of Soviet industrial vouchers. The obverse displays two identical ornate star-burst emblems with intricately interwoven patterns positioned on the left and right margins, framing Cyrillic text arranged in multiple centered lines. The reverse presents a dense geometric repeating pattern covering the entire surface, with a matching ornate emblem centered near the top. The color palette employs pale green and yellowish-green tones with gold/olive accents, creating a professional appearance suitable for an official State Trust document. Fine-line engraving creates a mesh-like texture and guilloche borders throughout, serving both aesthetic and security functions.
FRONT: СССР (USSR) | МИНИСТЕРСТВО УГОЛЬНОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ (Ministry of Coal Industry) | ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ TRUST (State Trust) | АРКТИНГУГОЛЬ (Arcticcoal) | ТАЛОН (Voucher/Talion) | № 040365 (Number 040365) | ОДНА КОПЕЙКА (One Kopek) | для внутренних расчетов на предприятиях арктингуголя (for internal settlements at the enterprises of Arcticcoal) | 1 (numeral one). BACK: ПРИ УТЕРЕ НЕ ВОЗОБНОВЛЯЕТСЯ (Not replaced if lost) | НЕИСПОЛЬЗОВАННЫЕ ТАЛОНЫ ПОДЛЕЖАТ ВОЗВРАТУ В КАССУ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯ (Unused vouchers must be returned to the enterprise cashier).
Intaglio (engraved) printing with fine-line engraving techniques. The intricate geometric microprint patterns, decorative guilloche borders, and dense repeating patterns on the reverse are characteristic of high-security intaglio production. The specific printer is not documented in standard catalogs, but Soviet state security printers (likely Goznak or a subordinate facility) would have produced this as an official State Trust document.
This note bears serial number 040365 on the obverse. The note is denominated as 'One Kopek' (ОДНА КОПЕЙКА) with the numeral '1' displayed. As a State Trust Arcticcoal voucher rather than standard currency, no standard Pick catalog varieties exist. The specific serial number and potential other numbered variants represent the natural varieties of this talion series. The unlisted status suggests limited documentation of varieties in standard numismatic references.
