40 rubles — RSFSR (1917) — Kerenka

Special facts

Forty rubles is a value that Russian money never had again.

Appearance

Forty-rouble treasury note, the kerenka, printed in red and pink on thick grey paper; the design is the same as on the 20-rouble note, but with the denomination "40 РУБЛЕЙ" and the figure 40 in the rosettes on the back. At the top the double-headed eagle without the symbols of tsarist power, at the bottom the inscription "ОБЯЗАТЕЛЕНЪ КЪ ОБРАЩЕНИЮ НАРАВНЕ СЪ КРЕДИТНЫМИ БИЛЕТАМИ". Size 61 × 50 mm. Copies perforated "ОБРАЗЕЦ" and "ГБСО" (the stamp of the State Bank of the Northern Region, 1919) are known, as well as copies with a watermark of six-pointed stars forming hexagons, attributed either to the government of Bulak-Balakhovich in 1919 or to a German issue of 1918.

About the period

The "kerenki" are the Provisional Government's treasury notes of 20 and 40 roubles. They were nicknamed after Kerensky, who signed the decree on their issue. More about the period “Provisional Government treasury notes”, 1917

Coins and banknotes of this year: 1917

Other items of the period

• 20 rubles (1917) — Kerenka
• 40 rubles (1917) — Kerenka