By Christopher Dahncke – Currency Auction Associate, Stack’s Bowers Galleries ……
North Caucasian Soviet Socialist Republic 1918 10 Rubles Specimen
The official World Paper Money auction from Stack’s Bowers Galleries for the ANA World’s Fair of Money will feature an incredibly rare Russia North Caucasus note as lot 30438, a P-S447as North Caucasian S.S.R. 1918 10 Rubles Specimen graded About Uncirculated 53 by PMG.
Text on front “ОБЩЕГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО”. Block A.23. Blue Russian “ОБРАЗЕЦЪ” (sample/specimen) stamp. Sickles make up the front design, appearing twice in each corner on the obverse. The reverse displays dual hammers at center with crossed sickles, with wheat in each corner. This note is the only piece encapsulated for the variety by PMG at the time of writing this blog, which should pique the interest of any Russian Civil War-era paper money collector. PMG comments “Archival Specimen.” PMG Pop 1/No Others Graded.
Rare North Russia 500 Rubles 1918 Remainder
Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ August Official ANA Auction of World Paper Money promises to be another great sale. Our featured highlight for this week is an elusive North Russia P-S143 Remainder 500 Rubles note which would have been issued by the Chaikovskii Government. This note is graded Very Fine 25 Details grade by PCGS Banknote, with Internal Damage and Pinholes noted by the grading company.
The North of Russia was in much turmoil when this note was printed in 1918. Allied troops were landing at Archangelsk and Murmansk to reinforce White Army forces against the rapidly advancing Red Army, although this would prove futile. By 1919, the Allies had abandoned the North of Russia and the White Russian Northern Army was left to fight alone against the more disciplined Red Army. The region later capitulated to Bolshevik rule in early 1920.
This note offered in our August auction is a lasting testament to the Provisional Government of the Northern Region. It is in remainder form and from the second issue series; there are no signatures, and it is pen canceled at the left end on both the obverse and reverse. A red serial number of “ЦС021502” can be seen at the left and right ends. The overprint that typically covers the phrase over the text box at left on the face is also missing, along with the overprints over the arms. The reverse of the note depicts a portrait of a woman at left, and an allegorical woman watching over a seaport at right, with a fast-approaching ship in the background.
Auction appearances of this variety are almost non-existent, and this note is surely missing from the most advanced collections of Russian paper money. This is the first example we have handled in remainder form in our history, and we are excited to offer it to collectors. We would not be surprised if our high estimate is met or exceeded for this rare note.
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The Stack’s Bowers Galleries August ANA auctions are now available online for bidding. To consign your U.S. paper money & world paper money to a future sale, contact a consignment specialist at 800-458-4646 or visit StacksBowers.com. For more information on viewing lots or for assistance in registering to bid, email your inquiry to [email protected]
