100 RUB #41

Front

Sergei Mavrodi (1955–2018), Russian businessman and founder of the MMM financial pyramid scheme. This is a 100-bilet private scrip note issued by MMM in 1994 during one of Russia's most notorious Ponzi schemes, which defrauded millions of investors during the economic chaos following the Soviet collapse. The note bears Mavrodi's portrait and the MMM logo, with text in Cyrillic reading 'БИЛЕТОВ' (biletov, meaning tickets or notes). These notes were used within the MMM system as share certificates or internal currency during the height of the pyramid scheme.

Back

Decorative guilloche patterns in green and yellow-green tones with the text 'Сто билетов' (Sto biletov, meaning one hundred tickets/notes) in ornate script. The reverse features intricate security printing patterns typical of banknote design but lacks any significant imagery, focusing instead on anti-counterfeiting measures for this private scrip.

History

MMM private currency series, 1994. These 'biletov' notes were issued by Sergei Mavrodi's MMM company during Russia's largest financial pyramid scheme, which operated from 1989 to 1994 and again in various forms afterward. At its peak in 1994, MMM claimed up to 15 million investors. The scheme collapsed in July-August 1994 when the Russian government intervened, causing massive losses estimated at $1.5 billion. These notes were used as share certificates within the MMM system and became worthless after the collapse. They remain collectible as artifacts of post-Soviet economic turmoil and financial fraud history.