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3 Kopecks
| Issuer | Russian Empire (Treasury) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 3 Kopecks (3 Копейки) (0.03) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Stamp-money note printed in rose-red on white paper, with perforated edges characteristic of postage stamp currency. A central oval vignette carries a bust portrait of Tsar Alexander III in military uniform, framed by a fine-line guilloche border. The denomination numeral '3' appears in large white figures within octagonal panels at lower left and right, flanked by the Cyrillic legend 'КОП' and 'ПОЧТА' at centre base. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain white reverse with a simple rectangular border. The Imperial Russian double-headed eagle appears as a small vignette at the top centre, below which the denomination 'КОП. 3 КОП.' is printed in bold Cyrillic text, followed by the statutory circulation legend 'Имѣетъ хожденіе наравнѣ съ мѣдной монетой.' in multi-line letterpress. |
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| Comments |
Russia's treasury issued these fractional notes in 1915 as a direct response to the near-total disappearance of copper and silver coinage from circulation — hoarding accelerated dramatically once war mobilization began and metal became strategically valuable. The solution was essentially a postage stamp printed on cardboard-weight paper, legal-tendered by decree. The reverse explicitly stated they circulated on par with silver coin of the same denomination.
At under 30mm in either dimension, these are among the smallest paper money ever issued by the Russian imperial government. Survivors in any condition above poor are genuinely uncommon — the notes were handled by everyone, worth almost nothing, and treated accordingly.