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20 Kopecks
| Issuer | Russian Empire (Ministry of Finance) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 29 × 24 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain pink paper reverse with a simple rectangular border frame enclosing the Imperial double-headed eagle at the top centre. Below the eagle, a multi-line Cyrillic text inscription states the note's legal equivalence to silver coinage. |
| Reverse lettering | Имѣетъ хожденіе наравнѣ съ размѣнной серебряной монетой. |
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| Comments |
These tiny notes were emergency currency, issued by the Ministry of Finance after silver coinage disappeared from circulation at the outbreak of the First World War — hoarded by the public almost overnight. The Kazansky expedition of the State Paper Manufactory printed them in Moscow, not St. Petersburg, which was already under severe wartime production strain.
They were explicitly designated as legal tender equivalent to silver coin, a claim the public received with predictable skepticism. Tear lines between notes were often poorly registered, resulting in ragged separations that collectors sometimes mistake for trimming damage.