5000 Karbovantsiv UAH #550

Front

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, built 1037 by Yaroslav the Wise as the main cathedral of Kievan Rus'. The cathedral, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represents the height of Byzantine-Slavic ecclesiastical architecture with its distinctive golden domes and baroque bell tower. The cathedral was a major religious, political, and cultural center of the medieval Kyivan state and remains one of Ukraine's most significant architectural monuments.

Back

Volodymyr the Great (c. 958–1015), Grand Prince of Kyiv who ruled from 980 to 1015, converted Kievan Rus' to Orthodox Christianity in 988, establishing the foundation of Eastern Slavic Christian civilization. His baptism of Rus' is considered one of the most significant events in Ukrainian and Eastern European history; he is venerated as a saint in Orthodox Christianity and is depicted wearing a princely helmet and traditional Rus' attire. The inscription 'ВОЛОДИМИР ВЕЛИКИЙ' (Volodymyr the Great) appears at the bottom right.

History

Karbovanets series, 1992–1996, issued during Ukraine's period of hyperinflation following independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The karbovanets (also known as kupon or coupon-karbovanets) served as temporary currency during the economic transition period, experiencing massive devaluation. The 5000 karbovantsiv note was issued in 1993 signed by Viktor Yushchenko (who served as Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine 1993–1999 and later became President of Ukraine). This design features national historical and religious symbols emphasizing Ukrainian identity and state-building: Saint Sophia Cathedral represents medieval Kyivan glory, while Volodymyr the Great symbolizes the founding of the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition. The entire karbovanets series was withdrawn and replaced by the hryvnia on September 2–16, 1996 at a rate of 100,000 karbovantsiv = 1 hryvnia. The series is well-documented in Pick catalogue as P-85 through P-95.