130) Currency of Belarus: Roubles and Kapeykas:

130) Currency of Belarus: Roubles and Kapeykas:

The Rouble or Ruble is the currency of Belarus, subdivided into 100 Kapeykas.

The Ruble is derived from the Russian term meaning “to cut, to chop or to hack”. Historically, “Ruble” meant a piece of a certain weight chopped off a silver ingot (grivna). The Ruble was the equivalent of the Mark, a measurement of weight for silver and gold used in medieval Western Europe. The weight of 1 Ruble was equal to the weight of one “grivna”. 

The term Kopek, Kopeck, Copeck or Kopeyka in Russian means a “spear”. This is because, the first Kopek coins minted at Novgorod and Pskov from 1534 onwards show a horseman with a spear.

Historical development of Belarusian Rouble:

Ancient Belarusian coins tell us of the time when Belarusian-Kryves, Belarusian-Litvans and other ethnic people lived and developed their own cultures, histories and legends. There is strong evidence that coins minted in both the East, as well as, the West were circulating in Belarus since ancient times.

By the 12^th century, the Belarusians began to mint their own currency – “izroz (grivna)” of Viciebsk or Vitebsk.

In the mid to late 14^th century, when the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was formed, the first coins with legends in the Belarusian language were minted. Around the same time, a silver grivna also came into circulation called the Litvan rouble. At around this time, coins were also being minted in several other duchies, including in Dzmitry of Nouharad-Severian, Jahajla in Vilnia, Kasciancin and Todar of Podolia, Uladzimir and Skirhajla of Kiev etc.

In 1392, Grand Prince Vitaut unified various Duchies into a strong and centralised federal structure and during his rule, mass minting/production of “Deniers” was carried out.

In 1399-1401, in addition to the deniers a new coin was introduced, which consisted of “1 rouble” being subdivided into “1000 Prague Groats” and further subdivided into “1000 deniers”. Interestingly, this was the first ever decimal based monetary system based currency in Europe.

By the 15^th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania minted coins based on technologies similar to that being used for West European coinage bearing Latin legends/inscriptions on them. However, this was in addition to the Grand Litvan monetary system which was already in place.

From 1534 onwards, the first Kopek coins were minted at Novgorod and Pskov.

Later, by the 18th century, full unification of the monetary systems of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland took place. As such, the coins of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which had continued to be minted all along were no longer minted from after early 18^th century. In 1707, was the last time that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania minted its coins.

Also, in 1704, Peter the Great revamped the old monetary systems and consolidated them by issuing a 28 gms. silver Ruble coin equivalent to 100 new copper kopek coins. Around the same time several other denominations of coins were added based on the same exchange rate.

The First Belarusian Rouble or Ruble Series (1992-2000):

Upon the breaking up of the Soviet Union (USSR), until May 1992, the Soviet Rouble was circulating in Belarus alongside the Belarusian Rouble introduced by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB) in May 1992. 

Slowly, the Russian Ruble was replaced by the NBRB issues within a span of about two years. The exchange rate between the two currencies was initially pegged at 10 Russian Rubles being equivalent to 1 Belarusian Ruble.

The denominations introduced under this Series were 50 Kapeykas, 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 Rublei (all issued in May 1992), 200, 500 Rublei (both issued in December 1992), 1000 Rublei (first issued in November 1993) and 5000 Rublei (issued in April 1994), with further denominations being added in phases later on. Thus, 20000 Rublei (issued in 1994), 50000 Rublei (issued in September 1995), 100000 Rublei (issued in October 1996), 500000 Rublei (issued in December 1998), 1000000 Rublei (issued in April 1998) and 5000000 Rublei (issued in September 1999) were, also, circulated. Such high denominations were necessary due to rampant inflation.

The languages used on the circulating currency are Slavic languages.

The Front of the 50 Kapeykas (Kopeek) Banknote showed an image of a squirrel or “Sciurus”. The colour of this Banknote is pink. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the 50 Kapeykas Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the one (1) Ruble Banknote showed an image of a running European hare or “Zaichik”. The colour of this Banknote is grey blue. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the one (1) Ruble Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the three (3) Rubles Banknote showed an image of beavers. The colour of this Banknote is green. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the three (3) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the five (5) Rubles Banknote showed an image of gray wolves. The colour of this Banknote is blue and pink. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the five (5) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the ten (10) Rubles Banknote showed an image of a Eurasian Lynx with kitten. The colour of this Banknote is dark green. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the ten (10) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the twenty five (25) Rubles Banknote showed an image of a moose. The colour of this Banknote is orange. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the twenty five (25) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the fifty (50) Rubles Banknote showed an image of a brown bear. The colour of this Banknote is violet. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the fifty (50) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the hundred (100) Rubles Banknote showed an image of a wisent (European Bison). The colour of this Banknote is green-brown. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the hundred (100) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the two hundred (200) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the train station square. The colour of this Banknote is yellow-green. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the two hundred (200) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the five hundred (500) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the Victory Square, Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is violet-red. The size of this Banknote is 105 mm x 53 mm.

The Back of the five hundred (500) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the one thousand (1000) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is green. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

The Back of the one thousand (1000) Rubles Banknote showed a large image of the numeral 1000.

The Front of the five thousand (5000) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the Trinity Hill, Minsk.  The colour of this Banknote is violet-red. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

The Back of the five thousand (5000) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser). (A later issue had a large image of the numeral 5000 on it).

The Front of the twenty thousand (20000) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the building of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.  The colour of this Banknote is olive-yellow. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the twenty thousand (20000) Rubles Banknote showed a Pahonia (Chaser).

The Front of the fifty thousand (50000) Rubles Banknote showed an image of the building of the Kholm Gate.  The colour of this Banknote is light brown. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the fifty thousand (50000) Rubles Banknote showed the Brest Fortress Memorial.

The Front of the one hundred thousand (100000) Rubles Banknote showed Opera and Ballet Theatre, Minsk.  The colour of this Banknote is grey-brown. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the one hundred thousand (100000) Rubles Banknote showed a Scene from the ballet “Favourite” by E.A. Hlebau.

The Front of the five hundred thousand (500000) Rubles Banknote showed The Republican Trade Union’s Palace of Culture in Minsk.  The colour of this Banknote is orange-red. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the five hundred thousand (500000) Rubles Banknote showed Architectural decorations on the Republican Palace of Culture of Belarus.

The Front of the ten hundred thousand (1000000) Rubles Banknote showed The National Museum of Arts of Belarus, in Minsk.  The colour of this Banknote is sky blue. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the ten hundred thousand (1000000) Rubles Banknote showed a Fragment of the “Portrait of wife with flowers and fruits” by I.Khrutski.

In 1994, a proposal was floated by Belarus to re-integrate the country with the Russian Federation and have a common united currency for the Union of Russia and Belarus. However, despite a Treaty being signed towards this end, this measure has been put in the cold storage, particularly after Russia in 2008 raised the cost of oil and gas exports to Belarus (commodities for which Belarus is dependent on Russia) and Belarus retaliating by linking the Belarusian Ruble to the US Dollar instead of the Russian Rule.

The Second Belarusian Ruble Series (2000 onwards):

In 2000, the second Belarusian Ruble Series was circulated, replacing the First Ruble at an exchange rate of 1 new Ruble to 1000 old Rubles or Rublei. Only Banknotes were issued in various denominations. 

The denominations introduced initially were 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 Rublei. Later, this Series was also overtaken by galloping inflation and higher denominations of 10000 (issued in April 2001), 20000 and 50000 Rublei (both issued in 2002) were circulated. These were supplemented by 100000 Rublei Banknotes (issued in 2005) and the 200000 Rublei Banknotes (issued in 2012).

The Front of the one (1) Ruble Banknote shows an image of the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The colour of this Banknote is green. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

The Back of the one (1) Ruble Banknote shows an image of the numeral “1”. 

This denomination was withdrawn from circulation from 01.01.2004.

The Front of the five (5) Rubles Banknote shows a view of the Trayetskaye Pradmyestsye, in Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is rose red. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

                        An image of the Tratyetskaye Pradmyestsye

The Back of the five (5) Rubles Banknote shows an image of the numeral “5”.

This denomination was withdrawn from circulation from 01.07.2005.

The Front of the ten (10) Rubles Banknote shows the building of the National Library of Belarus. The colour of this Banknote is light blue. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

The Back of the ten (10) Rubles Banknote shows an image of the numeral “10”.

This denomination was withdrawn from circulation from 01.03.2013.

The Front of the twenty (20) Rubles Banknote shows the building of the National Bank of Belarus. The colour of this Banknote is olive-yellow. The size of this Banknote is 110 mm x 60 mm.

The Back of the twenty (20) Rubles Banknote shows the interior of the building of the National Bank of Belarus.

The Front of the fifty (50) Rubles Banknote shows the Kholm Gate fragment of the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial. The colour of this Banknote is orange-red. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

The Back of the fifty (50) Rubles Banknote shows the main entrance of the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial.

(Brest Hero Fortress Memorial: Brest Fortress – now in Belarus – was awarded the title “Hero Fortress” in memory of the heroic defence of this Frontier stronghold during the very first weeks of the German-Soviet War of 1941 to 1945. The title of “Hero City” has been awarded to about a dozen cities in the erstwhile Soviet Union).

The Front of the one hundred (100) Rubles Banknote shows the National Academic Great Opera and Ballet House of Belarus, in Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is green. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

(National Academic Great Opera and Ballet House: is located in the oldest surviving District called “Trinity Hill” in Minsk). 

The Back of the one hundred (100) Rubles Banknote shows a scene from the ballet “Favourite” by E.A. Hlebau.

The Front of the five hundred (500) Rubles Banknote shows the Republican Trade Union’s Palace of Culture, in Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is light brown. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 69 mm.

(Palace of Culture: or House of Culture in the former USSR typically consisted of separate rooms for all kind of recreational activities and hobbies viz. sports, collections, Arts, Cinema halls, concert halls, dance studios, do-it-yourself hobby rooms/groups, Amateur radio groups, Reading rooms etc. The primary aim of these Palaces was to provide a “culture-based leisure” outlets to the citizens/industrial workers, as opposed to “cultureless leisure” (leading to drinking, gambling and hooliganism). Palaces of Culture were mainly State sponsored and sponsored by major Industrial Enterprises. Industry owned Palaces of Culture were managed by the Trade Unions of the Industry sponsoring the Palaces, such as the one represented on this Banknote).

The Back of the five hundred (500) Rubles Banknote shows the Architectural decorations on the Republican Palace of Culture of Belarus.

The Front of the one thousand (1000) Rubles Banknote shows the National Museum of Arts of Belarus, in Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is light blue. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

The Back of the one thousand (1000) Rubles Banknote shows a Fragment of the picture “Portrait of the wife with flowers and fruits” by I. Khrutski.

The Front of the five thousand (5000) Rubles Banknote shows the Palace of Sports, in Minsk. The colour of this Banknote is light violet. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

(Palace of Sports: or Sports Palace is the name given to comprehensive indoors sports venues which were introduced in the USSR and are still in use in the countries which were once a part of the Soviet Union, including in Belarus).

The Back of the five thousand (5000) Rubles Banknote shows an image of the “Raubichy Sporting Complex”.

The Front of the ten thousand (10000) Rubles Banknote shows the panorama of Vitebsk City. The colour of this Banknote is pink. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

(Vitebsk: is situated on a river harbour where the Vitba River flows into the larger Western Dvina, which is spanned in the city by the Kirov Bridge. Vitebsk founded in 947 A.D. became an important area of trade and commerce as well as the capital/centre of an important Principality. Since 1992, Vitebsk hosts an Annual Slavianski Bazaar, which is an International Art festival where Artists come from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and guests come from several countries, both Slavic and non-Slavic. The City also boasts the Summer Amphitheatre for the International Arts Festival). 

The Back of the ten thousand (10000) Rubles Banknote shows the Summer Amphitheatre in Vitebsk.

The Front of the twenty thousand (20000) Rubles Banknote shows the Gomel Palace. The colour of this Banknote is grey. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

The Back of the twenty thousand (20000) Rubles Banknote shows a view of the Gomel Palace from A.Idzkouski’s picture, in Homyel.

(Gomel Palace: This is a two – storeyed palace built between 1777 and 1796 in a Neo-classical design. Built on the site of a previously ruined castle, the central part of the Palace is surmounted by a square belvedere (a raised turret to view the scenery from) with a wide flat dome. The Palace’s six-columned Corinthian portico (Corinthian, meaning: one of the five Orders of Architecture) faces an extensive English Park. The main portico is placed on a high platform and is supported by four Corinthian columns. There is also a four storeyed tower and a three-storeyed wing to the main structure).

The Front of the fifty thousand (50000) Rubles Banknote shows a castle in the settlement of Mir, Karelichy District, Hronda Voblast. The colour of this Banknote is sky blue. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

(Mir Castle Complex: This is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the town of Mir in Karelichy district of Hronda voblast.  The castle was built from the end of the 15^th century and was completed in the early 16^th century. Built in the Gothic Architectural style as well as the Renaissance style, the castle suffered heavily in the Napoleonic Wars, and was restored in the late 19^th century. Later, during World War II it served as a ghetto for the local Jewish population while under German domination).

The Back of the fifty thousand (50000) Rubles Banknote shows a decorative collage of Architectural elements of Mir Castle.

The Front of the one hundred thousand (100000) Rubles Banknote shows the Nesvizh Castle. The colour of this Banknote is orange. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

(Nesvizh Castle: This is a residential castle of the Radizwill family, constructed around the end of the 12^th century. After a chequered history, in 1770, the Russian Forces seized this Castle and thereafter abandoned which led to it falling into disrepair.  However, at a later date it was restored to its original owners and the Castle’s interiors were restored between 1881 and 1886. As part of the restoration carried out on the Castle, a landscaped Park in English style was created, measuring more than 1 kilometre, which makes the Park one of the biggest such Parks in Europe. In 1994, the castle complex was designated as a National historical and cultural reserve and in 2005, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site).

The Back of the one hundred thousand (100000) Rubles Banknote shows a view of the Radziwills’ Castle in Nesvizh from a painting by the Belarusian Artist Napoleon Orda.

The Front of the two hundred thousand (200000) Rubles Banknote shows the Mogilev Maslennikov Art Museum. The colour of this Banknote is light green. The size of this Banknote is 150 mm x 74 mm.

The Back of the two hundred thousand (200000) Rubles Banknote shows a decorative Collage of Architectural elements of the Mogilev Maslennikov Art Museum.

Commemorative coins minted in gold and silver have been issued by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus for numismatists only, since 27.12.1996, and not for general circulation. The themes represented on these coins in the denominations of 1, 3 and 5 Rubles, are mostly native culture and landmark events/milestones in Belarus and fairy tales and pop culture which are not from Belarus. 

Circulating coins have not been introduced in Belarus owing to galloping inflation since the breaking up of the USSR, making it the only country which was once a part of the USSR not to have any circulating coins.

The Emblem or the Coat of Arms of Belarus (Pahonia: 1991-1995) which features on Belarusian Banknotes:

The Pahonia was the official state symbol of the Belarusian National Republic in 1918 and the official Coat of Arms of Belarus from 1991 to 1995.official Coat of Arms. This Heraldic shield features a red field with an armoured knight on a white (silver) horse holding a silver sword in his right hand above his head. A silver shield hangs on the left shoulder of the charging knight and a golden (yellow) Patriarchal cross appears on the shield.

 The charging knight first appeared on the seal of the Grand duke of Lithuania in 1366. Then again it featured on the Coat of Arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Duchy of Vilnius as well as Vitebsk. The Pahonia Coat of Arms also featured in the shields of several towns viz. Daugavpils, Ludza, Sebezh, Polacak, Nevel, Haradok, Viciebsk, Surazh, Velizh etc.

In 1995, the Pahonia Coat of Arms was replaced with a modified Soviet emblem, as Belarus was considering a Reunification with Russia.

(The Banknotes shown above are from the collection of Ajit George. Banknotes scanned and article researched and written by Rajeev Prasad)