85 Roubles 5% Freedom Loan Debenture Bond - Type 1

Series: Rostov-on-Don. Rostov Office of the State Bank. Type 1.

Obverse

Black on brown underprint. At the top center, oval frame depicts the Tauride Palace (seat of the State Duma), flanked by laurel branches. Directly beneath the vignette, bold text, with several paragraphs of smaller text filling the central area below, followed by a cluster of signatures. The serial number is printed twice—once at the upper left and again at the upper right. Framed by intricate guilloche frame with square corner ornaments.

At least two stamps; round ОГБ (Отделения Государственного Банка/Office of the State Bank) and rectangular one, sometimes with netting.

Scripts: Cyrillic, Cyrillic (cursive)

Lettering:
(round stamp)
Ростовская на Дону Контора Государственного Банка

(rectangular stamp)
Настоящая облигация выпущена Ростовской
Конторой Государственного Банка в качестве
денежного знака по курсу 85 рублей за 100
номинальных с присоединением %-въ по
текущему купону

Translation:
(round stamp)
Rostov on Don Main Office of the State Bank

(rectangular stamp)
This bond is issued by the Rostov
Office of the State Bank as a
banknote at the rate of 85 roubles per 100
nominal with the addition of interest on
current coupon.

Reverse

Black on rose underprint. At the top, the text begins bold and large, below that, multiple paragraphs of tightly packed text fill the page, in the lower portion are the signatures.

Watermark

"Fat Stars"

© Katz Coins Notes & Supplies Corp.

Comments

History

On March 30, 1917 the Provisional Government of Russia published a decree on the issue of 5% “Freedom Loan” bonds of 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 and 25,000 roubles. At the end of  April 1917 two additional denominations of 20 and 40 roubles were added to the existing bonds. 

 

Immediately after the October Revolution on October 25, 1917 Ataman A. M. Kaledin proclaimed that he refused to subordinate  to the Council of the People's Commissars and its decrees. Just like other parts of the former Russian Empire the Don Cossack Province started to experience shortages of currency.  In accordance with the permission of the Provisional Government, in the Don region (as in all of Russia) since September 1917, the bonds of the “Freedom Loan” (among others) had the right to circulate as money. The manager of the Rostov Office of the State Bank, Romuald Eduardovich Gulbin, ordered then to put into circulation in the first days of December 1917, "Freedom Loan" bonds were issued into circulation as bankotes in denominations of 20, 40, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rubles, for 85% of the nominal value.

 

The 20, 40, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 ruble notes were issued between December 1917 and March 1918 under Ataman A.M. Kaledin.
The 500 and 1000 ruble notes were issued again between May and July 31, 1918 under Ataman P.N. Krasnov.

 

Varieties

The "net" pattern was another overstamp used to obscure the original stamp (type 1) when new ones (of rostov) were added. The bonds can have additional overstamps from Rostov (there are 3 types) or from other places (e. g. Yekaterinodar)

As with other “Freedom Loan” bonds, at the reverse one may encounter one of the two following types of text, depending on whether they were issued pre or post April 1917 (when 20 and 40 roubles denominations were added)

See also

• Palace

• 100 Roubles (5% Freedom Loan Debenture Bond)

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Numista Rarity index: 100

This index is based on the data of Numista members collections. It ranges from 0 to 100, 0 meaning a very common coin or banknote and 100 meaning a rare coin or banknote among Numista members.

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