Russia's first polymer banknote, issued to commemorate the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted across eleven Russian cities. Goznak had been experimenting with polymer substrate production domestically, and this note was partly a proof of that capability — a deliberate technical statement as much as a commemorative issue. The Bank of Russia announced it would not replace the cotton-paper 100 Rouble note in circulation; this ran alongside it as a parallel issue with limited distribution, primarily through souvenir channels rather than ordinary banking.
The serial number range was tightly controlled, and early batches showed minor registration inconsistencies that collectors now treat as distinguishing markers between print runs.
Russia's first polymer banknote, issued to commemorate the 2018 FIFA World Cup hosted across eleven Russian cities. Goznak had been experimenting with polymer substrate production domestically, and this note was partly a proof of that capability — a deliberate technical statement as much as a commemorative issue. The Bank of Russia announced it would not replace the cotton-paper 100 Rouble note in circulation; this ran alongside it as a parallel issue with limited distribution, primarily through souvenir channels rather than ordinary banking.
The serial number range was tightly controlled, and early batches showed minor registration inconsistencies that collectors now treat as distinguishing markers between print runs.