Banknote Billet Russian Federation 40 rouble 1917

The 40 roubles banknote issued in 1917 represents a major documentary piece of Russian monetary history, bearing witness to a period of profound political and economic upheaval. This banknote was put into circulation during the transitional period that followed the February Revolution of 1917, under the authority of the Russian Provisional Government, before the Bolsheviks seized power in October of the same year.

Familiarly nicknamed "Kerenki" in reference to Alexander Kerensky, minister and then president of the Provisional Government, this 40 roubles banknote is one of the most emblematic monetary tokens of this pivotal era. It was produced in large quantities to meet the pressing financing needs of the State in times of war and political crisis, which rapidly led to a significant depreciation of its real value.

From a graphic standpoint, this banknote features a format characteristic of the period, with ornamental motifs typical of early 20th-century Russian aesthetics. The background of the note is generally adorned with guilloche patterns and complex geometric designs, printing techniques intended to complicate counterfeiting. The face value of 40 roubles is clearly indicated in Cyrillic characters, accompanied by official references to its issuance by the Provisional Government.

This banknote is part of a particularly unstable economic context, marked by tensions linked to the First World War and the internal political transformations within Russia. The massive production of these banknotes contributed to fuelling galloping inflation, quickly rendering them poorly representative of their nominal value in everyday exchanges. For collectors and historians alike, this banknote stands as a direct testimony to one of the most tumultuous periods in contemporary Russian history.