10 rubles — Russian Empire (1786–1818)

Photo: Assignation Bank of Russia, via Wikimedia Commons

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Assignats of 1786–1818

The second-type assignats were issued in 1785–1787 to replace the old notes, many of which had been forged: the same design on coloured paper from a special mill in Tsarskoye Selo; the exchange ran from 1 September 1786 to 1 July 1787. The notes were printed unchanged until 1818, each with its year. The reform of 1802–1803 planned a mass exchange of assignats for new notes of 5, 10, 25 and 100 roubles, but remained at the stage of trials, which are kept in the Goznak museum. The Napoleonic forgeries are shown separately: they were made in France to weaken Russian finances, on better paper than the genuine notes, sometimes with a spelling mistake in a word, with facsimile signatures. The 25 and 50 roubles were forged most often.

Appearance

Ten-rouble assignat of the second type. The front: at the top the number, below it two embossed ovals (a harbour with banners, guns, a double-headed eagle and the arc "ПОКОИТЪ И ОБОРОНЯЕТЪ" at left; a rock over the sea with "НЕВРЕДИМА" at right), between them the figure of the denomination and the text of the promise "ОБЪЯВИТЕЛЮ СЕЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ АССИГНАЦIИ ПЛАТИТЪ АССИГНАЦIОННЫЙ БАНКЪ … ХОДЯЧЕЮ МОНЕТОЮ". The back carries the inscription "Сов. пр. б." (Council of the Bank's Government) and a hand-written signature, different on each note. Embossed paper with watermarks of the arms of the kingdoms of Astrakhan, Kazan, Siberia and Moscow in the corners. Reddish paper, nicknamed "the red ones", a colour the ten-rouble notes kept for over two hundred years; the front is turned diagonally. Size 173 × 134 mm; dated every year from 1786 to 1818. Specimens of 1785 and 1786 without signatures are known.

Other items of the period

• 5 rubles (1786–1818) Pick# A8
• 5 rubles (1802) — Unissued Pick# A13
• 10 rubles (1786–1818) Pick# A9
• 10 rubles (1802–1803) — Unissued Pick# A14
• 25 rubles (1785–1818) Pick# A10
• 25 rubles (1802) — Unissued Pick# A15
• 25 rubles (1803–1811) — Napoleonic forgery Pick# A10
• 50 rubles (1785–1818) Pick# A11
• 50 rubles (1805–1808) — Napoleonic forgery Pick# A11
• 100 rubles (1785–1818) Pick# A12
• 100 rubles (1802) — Unissued Pick# A16