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| Issuer | Arktikugol Trust (USSR Ministry of Coal Industry) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1979 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 10 Roubles (10 SUR) |
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| Obverse description | Red-brown on light ground. The upper central field carries a multi-line Cyrillic heading identifying the USSR Ministry of Coal Industry and the State Trust Arktikugol. Two ornate circular guilloche rosettes flank the denomination numeral 10 at left and right. The bold legend ДЕСЯТЬ РУБЛЕЙ is printed across the lower half of the note in large letterpress type, below which a secondary inscription restricts use to internal settlements at Arktikugol enterprises; a talон (coupon) designation and serial number appear in the centre field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | ПРИ УТЕРЕ НЕ ВОЗОБНОВЛЯЕТСЯ НЕИСПОЛЬЗОВАННЫЕ ТАЛОНЫ ПОДЛЕЖАТ ВОЗВРАТУ В КАССУ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯ |
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| Comments |
Arktikugol Trust operated the Soviet coal mining settlements on Svalbard — Barentsburg and Pyramiden — under a bilateral arrangement with Norway that permitted continued Soviet presence on the archipelago under the 1920 Svalbard Treaty. Because Norwegian kroner circulated on the island yet hard currency couldn't freely move in and out of the Soviet economy, the Trust issued its own scrip for use exclusively within its settlements. Workers were paid partly in these coupons, redeemable only at the company store.
The 1979 series replaced an earlier set of Arktikugol notes, and the 10-rouble denomination was the highest value issued. Pyramiden was abandoned in 1998 with virtually no notice, leaving behind canteen stock, personal belongings — and presumably unspent scrip.