Russian Empire 5 Ruble Assignat, 1828 (1819-1843 Period)
The banknote features a monochromatic blue design, characteristic of Russian assignats from this period. The central motif is the Imperial Russian double-headed eagle, crowned, holding an orb and scepter, with a shield bearing the denomination '5' on its chest, surrounded by laurel branches. The main text is in pre-reform Cyrillic script, enclosed within an ornate decorative border with geometric and floral elements. The paper has a distinct fibrous texture, acting as a security feature.
Description
This is a 5 Ruble Assignat issued by the Russian Empire in 1828, belonging to the third major issue period (1819-1843). These assignats were paper money introduced to facilitate trade and address the state's financial needs, though they often suffered from depreciation relative to metallic currency. The note's central inscription reads: 'ОБЪЯВИТЕЛЮ СЕЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ АССИГНАЦІОННЫЙ БАНКЪ НАЧИНАЕТЪ ПЛАТИТЬ АССИГНАЦІИ ПЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ ХОДЯЧЕЮ МОНЕТОЮ' (The bearer of this State Assignation Bank begins to pay assignats of Five Rubles in current coin). The year '1828' is vertically printed on the left side, and 'ГОДА' (year) on the right. The serial number 'N° 330976' is printed twice at the bottom. This particular issue, identifiable by its blue color and design, represents a significant phase in Russia's monetary history marked by attempts to stabilize the paper currency system after the financial strains of the Napoleonic Wars. It bears the signatures of the Assignation Bank's manager and cashier.