How much old money is worth: value, how to sell

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Surely every reader at home will find banknotes or coins of Soviet or even tsarist times. Want to know how much old money is worth today? In this article, we will talk in detail about the modern value of those banknotes that were in use in pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia. In addition, you will learn where and how you can profitably sell these banknotes.

A little about bonistics…

Bonistics is the process of studying and collecting paper banknotes (of different countries and historical eras). By the way, bills among collectors are often referred to as "bons". It is curious that bonistics began to actively develop precisely in the USSR, and even in the pre-war years. A special surge of interest in this type of collecting was observed in the 80s of the last century.

It is important to note that not only real, but also fake (“fake”) banknotes are collected. So, for example, ritual and humorous paper money is quite popular. Obviously, paper is quite fragile andshort lived material. That is why centenary banknotes can cost dozens of times more than coins of the same age.

How much is old money worth? The actual price will depend on a number of factors. This is:

• Degree of preservation.
• The presence or absence of marriage.
• Year of issue and historical value of the banknote.
• Presence of overprints and specific watermarks.
• Signatures of specific officials.
• Certain episodes.

To date, the oldest and one of the most expensive in the world is the Chinese banknote, issued in 1380.

A Brief History of Russian Banknotes

The first paper money in Tsarist Russia was printed back in 1769, during the reign of Empress Catherine II. These were plain-looking banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 rubles. They were provided with an appropriate amount of copper coins, which were kept in the royal treasury. In calculations, one paper ruble at that time corresponded to one kilogram of "coppers". It was later tied to a more stable metal, silver.

In the middle of the 19th century banknotes were replaced by credit notes. And ordinary citizens of the Russian Empire had much more confidence in them. In 1866, for the first time, portraits of prominent personalities of the country began to be printed on royal money. So, the face of Catherine the Second appeared on the "weave". And soon all the merchants affectionately nicknamed the hundred-ruble note "katenka".

At the end of the 19th century, the Russian Empire beganprint money in the so-called Oryol method. He made it possible to obtain images consisting of several colors at once. By the way, the royal banknotes of the late XIX - early XX century are the most beautiful and highly artistic. How much is the old money of this period? Read more about this.

How much do pre-revolutionary old paper money cost?

Royal banknotes of the late XIX - early XX century, despite their beauty and elegance, are relatively inexpensive. On average, the price of this money ranges from 250 to 3500 rubles. An important role here is played by the degree of safety of a particular banknote, as well as the presence of the signature of one or another manager.

Paper banknotes of the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries are much more expensive. And this is not surprising, because very few of them have survived (250 years for paper is more than a respectable age). Today, the cost of royal banknotes ranges from 3 to 20 thousand dollars and more. It all depends on the year of issue and the denomination of the bonds. It is worth noting that banknotes in denominations of 75 rubles, obviously, have not been preserved at all. Hundred-ruble banknotes are extremely rare for sale.

How much is the old paper money of the USSR?

The banknote of the Soviet period (1921-1991) has survived to this day much more than the royal money. Conditionally old money of 1961 is especially common. How much are these banknotes? With rare exceptions, their current value does not exceed 500 rubles. Banknotes from earlier years are more valuable. In the following, we will discuss in more detail howworth the old money of the USSR.

Banknotes before 1938

The very first Soviet banknotes date back to 1924. These are denominations of one, three and five rubles. The artistic design of these banknotes is interesting (see photo below). So, on the "three-ruble note" peasants are depicted in the field, on the five-rouble note - a tractor leaving for the horizon. In the 1920s and 1930s, paper kopecks also circulated in the USSR - the so-called "denziks" (from 1 to 5). They were simple in design and looked like revenue stamps.

How much is the old money of the early Soviet period? Ruble banknotes today can be bought at a price of 5 to 25 thousand rubles, but "denziks" are cheaper (from 100 to 3000 rubles).

1947 banknotes

In 1947, as a result of the monetary reform, new banknotes appeared in the USSR. Banknotes of low denominations (1-5 rubles) were oriented vertically, larger ones (10-100 rubles) were oriented horizontally. The latter were also decorated with a portrait of V. I. Lenin.

The value of this money is relatively low these days. It varies from 150 rubles for small banknotes to 1500-2000 rubles for banknotes with a face value of one hundred Soviet rubles.

Banknotes after 1961

The next monetary reform took place in the Soviet Union in the early 60s. The so-called bank notes of the 1961 model had a denomination of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 rubles. Each of the banknotes had a different color:

• Lemon (1 ruble).
• Green (3 and 50 rubles).
• Blue (5 rubles).
• Red (10 rubles).
• Purple (25 rubles).
• Beige (100 rubles).

Big denomination banknotes bore the image of the Leader of the world proletariat.

How much is old paper money from 1961 worth? Since these banknotes are still quite common among the population, their real value is extremely low. On average, from 50 to 600 rubles, depending on the condition of a particular bond.

An important point: those banknotes whose series begins with the letter "I" are much more valuable.

Soviet coins in brief…

Do not forget about the coins of the Soviet period, reviewing the saved "treasures" of their grandparents. After all, some of them can cost a lot of money!

If we talk about ruble coins, here the following items are considered the most expensive (the approximate price of each coin is indicated in brackets):

• 1 ruble 1969 (1600-1800 rubles).
• 1 ruble 1966 (2000 rubles).
• 1 ruble 1924 (about 2500 rubles)
• 1 ruble 1921 (about 5000 rubles).

However, the most valuable in this category is the ruble coin of 1922, made of 900 silver (see photo below). Numismatists estimate it today at about 20 thousand rubles. Of course, the real value of the Soviet coin is affected by its condition. The less microdamage it has, the more profitable it can be sold.

If we talk about Soviet coins in general, then the most rare and expensive copy is the trial 50 kopecks minted in 1929. Its obverse depicts a factory, and on the reverse side a tractor and the famous slogan "Proletarians of all countries unite!". This coin is known only in a single copy and was sold at the Znak auction for ten million rubles!

For more information about the most expensive coins of the Soviet period, see the following video:

How to sell old money?

So, we have already found out how much the old money of the Soviet and tsarist times cost. But you are probably interested in the question of how and where they can be profitably sold. There are several possible options:

1. You can go to the nearest "flea market". There you will definitely find a reseller who will gladly buy your bonds from you (if they are of any value). Of course, he will not tell you the real value of the bill, but you will definitely receive 40-50% of this amount. This method is suitable for those who want to sell their "treasures" as quickly as possible.
2. If you want to know the real value of your copy, go to a meeting of collectors. Such "gatherings", as a rule, are regularly held in all major cities. There you can sell your banknotes more profitably, or exchange them for others.
3. Third option - all kinds of online auctions and forums of collectors on the net. And this is the most popular, easiest and most profitable way to sell your rarities.

Herea list of the most popular auctions on the Internet, which have relevant and active sections of bonistics: ebay.com, newauction.ru (Russia), meshok.net (Russia), ay.by (Belarus), auction.violity.com (Ukraine), crafta.ua (Ukraine), allegro.pl (Poland).