Russian Empire 75 Kopek Assignat, 1825 (Grand Duchy of Finland Issue)
Russian Empire
1825
1819-1843
75
N° 79598
Style
This assignat features a monochromatic design printed in dark brown/black ink on light beige paper. The top center prominently displays the Imperial Russian double-headed eagle with a shield on its chest, symbolizing the authority of the Russian Empire. The main denomination, 'Sjuttio fem Kopek', is rendered in an elaborate, decorative calligraphic script. The note incorporates multilingual text: Russian on the left vertical border ('СЕМЬДЕСЯТЬ ПЯТЬ КОПЬЕКЪ' - Seventy-five Kopecks), and Swedish in the central body and right vertical border ('SJUTTIOFEM RUBEL' - Seventy-five Rubles, which is an interesting historical anomaly for a kopek denomination). The overall aesthetic is characteristic of early 19th-century European banknotes, emphasizing governmental authority through symbolic imagery and detailed typography.
Description
This is a 75 Kopek assignat issued in 1825 for the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. The note was issued by the Grand Duchy of Finland's Exchange-Deposit and Loan Bank, as indicated by the Swedish text: 'UTI STORFURSTENDÖMET FINLANDS WÄXEL-DEPOSITIONS-OCH LÅNE-BANK'. The text further states that a sum of 75 Kopeks of Imperial Russian Bank Assignats has been deposited, which the bearer can redeem. This assignat holds historical significance as it represents the monetary system within Finland under Russian Imperial rule, where both Russian and local (Swedish/Finnish) languages and currency terms coexisted. The note's design features the Imperial Russian eagle and clearly states '75 KOP.' at the bottom left. A curious detail for collectors is the vertical text 'SJUTTIOFEM RUBEL' (Seventy-five Rubles) on the right side, which refers to 'Rubel' despite the main denomination being 'Kopek'; this is a known characteristic or anomaly of these specific Finnish issues. The note is signed by Claes Gripenberg and Otto Rege. These assignats often served as a form of paper money backed by state assets, crucial for the economy of the Grand Duchy.