10000 rubles — RSFSR (1919) — “Babylonian note”

The ten-thousand-rouble note is the highest value of the «Babylonian» notes of the second 1919 series: red print on a purple multicolour underprint, with the RSFSR coat of arms and the slogan «Workers of the world, unite» in seven languages on the reverse. It is dated 1919 but was released on 4 March 1920. The series ran from АА to ДА and were all printed at the First Moscow factory of Goznak; the number, two series letters and six digits, is printed twice on the front. The note was in circulation until 1 October 1922, when it was exchanged for the new currency at 10,000 to 1.

The note carries two signatures: that of the People’s Commissar of Finance N. Krestinsky (the same on all) and one of six cashiers. The cashier depends not on the last block digit but on the series letters, so the table lists series ranges; neighbouring cashiers share boundary series.

The standard watermark is broad waves, found with every cashier (Pick 106a). Narrow waves are known with Feduleyev and Gavrilov (106b), and stars with Baryshev, Feduleyev and Gavrilov (106c). Specimens are perforated «ОБРАЗЕЦЪ».

The dominant colour of the note is red: the obverse is red on a purple multicolour underprint, and the reverse has the RSFSR coat of arms in the centre. The note measures 172 × 123 mm.