Bank.notes

Collection Soviet Union #499

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5 Soviet Ruble

Soviet Union 1961 1946_1989 VF P-P-224 AI extracted ✦ AI 95%
Front · IMG_7193.HEIC cropped
Back · IMG_7194.HEIC cropped
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Identity

Where & when

Country Soviet Union
Currency Soviet Ruble
Denomination 5
Series name 1961 Series
Series year 1961
Issue year 1961
Era 1946_1989
Legal status demonetized
Predecessor currency Soviet Ruble (1947 Series)
Successor currency Russian Ruble
Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait
Reverse subject Spasskaya Tower, Moscow Kremlin
Watermark Stars pattern
Color palette #d4c5a0,#b8a890,#6b8ba3
Themes architecture,statesman
Language / script Cyrillic,Latin,Armenian,Georgian

Front: State Treasury Note of the USSR, 5 rubles. The front features multicolored guilloche patterns with denomination numerals in ornate frames at left and right. The center contains text in Russian and the official languages of the Soviet republics (including Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Lithuanian, Moldavian, Latvian, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Estonian, Turkmen, and Uzbek), stating 'Five Rubles' and 'Counterfeit state treasury notes are prosecuted by law'. This multilingual design was characteristic of Soviet currency, reflecting the USSR's federal structure and multiple constituent republics.

Back: Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the iconic clock tower with its distinctive star-topped spire, built in 1491 by Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari and serving as the main entrance to the Kremlin from Red Square. The tower has been the symbolic gateway to Soviet power since 1917 and remains one of Russia's most recognizable landmarks. The State Emblem of the USSR (hammer and sickle within wheat sheaves) appears at upper left, with the date '1961' below. Text at top reads 'State Treasury Note of the USSR' (Государственный Казначейский Билет СССР).

Production

How it was made

Issuer State Bank of the USSR
Issuer (native) Государственный Казначейский Билет СССР
Printer Goznak
Engraver
Material paper
Dimensions (mm) 114x57

Security features: guilloche_patterns,microprint

Geography

Where in the world

Geography unknown for Soviet Union.

The story

Background & history

This note belongs to the 1961 monetary reform series that replaced the 1947 series at a 10:1 redenomination ratio. The reform was part of Khrushchev's economic policy and remained in circulation for three decades until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. The 1961 series introduced a new design language emphasizing Soviet architecture and industrial achievements rather than portraits of leaders, reflecting the post-Stalin de-Stalinization period. The multicolored guilloche work was produced by Goznak (Гознак), the Soviet state printing works. The visible serial number format 'ВЯ 0451268' uses Cyrillic prefix letters, standard for Soviet banknote production. This denomination was widely used for everyday transactions throughout the Soviet period.

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick # P-224
Krause ID
Rarity tier common
Series range 1961–1991
Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date
Acquired from
Acquired price
Currency
Condition
Grade VF
Serial number ВЯ 0451268
Serial prefix ВЯ

Circulated note with some soiling and edge wear visible, particularly at margins. Paper shows handling but remains intact with no tears.

Valuation

What it's worth now

$1–$5
Type default range $1–$5
Valuation history (1)
datelowhighcurrencysourcenote
2026-05-10 07:09:29 1.0 5.0 USD ai from claude-sonnet-4-5
Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)
anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-10 07:09:29
status: ok · step 1 · $0.0422 · 7395↓ + 1335↑ tokens
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