Russian Empire 5 Ruble Assignat, 1800 (1786-1819 Period)
The assignat features a classical design characteristic of Russian Imperial paper money from the late 18th to early 19th century. It is printed in blue ink on blue-tinted paper, a color typically reserved for 5 Ruble denominations during this period. The central motif is the majestic double-headed eagle, the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, surmounted by an Imperial Crown. The eagle holds a scepter and orb, with a shield on its chest displaying the denomination '5'. The text is in Old Russian Cyrillic script, enclosed within an ornate rectangular border with decorative corner elements. Control marks or series numbers are placed within distinctive cartouches on the left and right sides, and signatures are found below the main text.
Description
This is a 5 Ruble Assignat issued by the Russian Empire in 1800. Assignats were the first form of paper money in Russia, introduced by Catherine the Great in 1769, and they played a crucial role in financing state expenditures and facilitating commerce. The inscription 'ОБЪЯВИТЕЛЮ СЕЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ АССИГНАЦИИ ПЛАТИТЬ АССИГНАЦИОННЫЙ БАНКЪ ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ ХОДЯЧЕЮ МОНЕТОЮ' translates to 'The Assignation Bank pays the bearer of this State Assignat Five Rubles in circulating coin,' indicating its theoretical convertibility to metal currency. The note features the Imperial double-headed eagle and the year '1800' (faintly visible below the denomination). The series number '1530' is present in the left cartouche, while the right cartouche confirms the denomination with 'ПЯТЬ'. The serial number N° 369111 is printed prominently. Signatures of the managing official (Управляющий) and cashier (Кассиръ) are present, though heavily faded. This note represents a significant artifact from Russia's monetary history during the turn of the 19th century, a period of transition and reform.