Record Depreciation of $10,000 => 500 Rubles. VNESHPOSYLTORG Checks for Military Trade

The most striking example of the devaluation of a collectible is the case of Vneshposyltorg checks. In mid-2018, prices for them suddenly plummeted from $10,000 to 500 rubles in just a couple of months. How did this happen? For decades, Vneshposyltorg checks for military trade were considered a rarity. Only a few copies of the rarest denomination, 50 rubles, were known. Collectors paid hundreds of thousands of rubles even for worn copies of this banknote.

Everything changed in 2018. Threads with these photos appeared on numismatic forums. A seller from Turkmenistan posted photos of entire bank packs untouched by time: 5, 10, 20, and those very rare 50 rubles. At least 200 pieces. The first pass was at the "Znak" auction, the check went for 70,000 rubles at the start. The market faltered. And then it started: on "Meshok" and other platforms, checks were sold in pairs - first for 70 thousand, then for 20, then for 5. And then the price dropped to 500 rubles per piece.

Why did this happen? In fact, no more than a thousand people seriously collect these checks. Supply instantly killed demand. And this is not the only funny case associated with this legendary seller. Every year, according to tradition, he returns and pleases, and more often - greatly upsets bonists with another show.