Catalog
10 Latu overprinted on P#8 500 Rubli
| Issuer | Latvijas Banka (Bank of Latvia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 100 Latu |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | LATVIJAS BANKAS PAGAIDU NAUDAS ZĪME LATVIJAS WALSTS KASES 10 LATU SĪME 10 LATU PEEZI SIMTS RUBLI 500 RUBLI WALSTS KASES SĪHMES NODROSCHINATAS AR WISEEM WALSTS ĪHPASCHUMEEM PRET SO NAUDAS ZĪMI LATVIJAS BANKA IZSNIEDZOZ 2,903226 GRAMA ZELTA 1920 |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | DESMIT 10 LATU DESMIT (Translation: Ten 10 Lats Ten) |
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| Comments |
Latvia's postwar monetary situation was chaotic enough that the Bank of Latvia resorted to overprinting existing Rubli-denominated stock rather than waiting on fresh printing contracts. The 10 Latu overprint on the 500 Rubli base note reflects the Lat's introduction in 1922 at a fixed rate of 50 Rubli to 1 Lats — the arithmetic checks out exactly, which was the point.
The underlying P#8 notes had been printed during the brief window of Latvian monetary independence before proper infrastructure existed. Overprinting was expedient, not ideal, and the series was retired relatively quickly once purpose-printed Latu notes became available.