1 Rouble Vitebsk

Part of a commemorative series marking ancient Belarusian cities, this rouble was issued the same year Belarus was deepening its controversial union treaty with Russia — a process that raised pointed questions about whether the National Bank in Minsk would survive as an independent monetary authority at all. It did, though just barely on paper.

Vitebsk is among the oldest cities in Belarus, with chronicles placing its founding in 974 AD. Marc Chagall was born there in 1887.