Catalog
100 Roubles
| Issuer | Assignation Bank (Assignatsionny Bank) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1819-1843 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | The central field is dominated by an imperial crowned double-headed eagle, with a decorative shield placed at each corner of the note. Two signatures appear below the text: the first printed, the second applied in manuscript. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | СТО РУБЛЕЙ |
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| Comments |
Russian assignats were introduced under Catherine II in 1769 as a way to fund war expenditure without depleting the silver reserve — a compromise that eventually collapsed badly. By the time this note was issued, the assignat ruble had been trading at a severe discount against silver for decades, fluctuating around 3.5 assignat rubles to one silver ruble. The government knew the system was broken before 1819; this series was essentially printed during the slow-motion wind-down of a currency that had lost the public's confidence entirely.
Nicholas I finally abolished the assignat ruble in 1843 through a mandatory redemption at the entrenched discount rate, exchanging notes for new state credit rubles. Holders had no recourse on terms.