How Big is Big Russian 1912 Credit Bank Notes

I have a compulsion for big, beautiful bank notes. Double that if there’s history attached. In research for this video I came across the world’s largest banknote made in the last 150 years. Stay tuned to see how big that note is. Let me give you a bit of background. I was watching Ben the Coin Geek’s video “PMG Bulk Submission”. He pulled out a stack of graded 1912 Russian 500 Ruble State Credit Notes and when I saw the size of them and I had to know more, like right now more. Turns out the note is not rare and was affordable for me even for a choice uncirculated. I wound up purchasing the note from Old Pueblo Coin for a fair price - not the cheapest but it felt good supporting a local Arizona coin shop even from Minnesota.
When I was watching The Coin Geek’s video the first thing that caught my eye was how absolutely massive the Russian Credit Notes is. I had never seen anything like them. [They’re Gi-normous]. This banknote was the largest banknote printed in over 500 years in 1912. Before 1998 the record, dimensionally, for the largest paper banknote was Chinese Ming Dynasty 1 Kuan from the late 1300s. The Philippines broke the Chinese world record issuing a commemorative bank note in 1998 that’s about 14 inches by 8 and half inches with the $100,000 Piso. But in 2017 Malaysia had to grab the Guiness World Record for Largest Legal Banknote by issuing their own commemorative that was roughly 7 percent larger than the Philippines banknote! The Russia 1912 500 ruble note looks tiny against the Malaysian 600 Ringgit. All three of these giant notes will easily set you back at least three to six thousand dollars.
Speaking of Guiness World Records sidebar. As an elementary school kid my friends and I were fascinated with the Guiness Book of World Records. Whenever we were in the school’s library inevitably someone went a got the current year - because they came out every year. Books like these were our internet and we spent hours paging through them. My buddies and I were amazed by the weird and bizarre records that certainly wouldn’t be acceptable in today’s politically correct world. End of sidebar and back to the banknotes.
Ranking fourth on the record list the 1912 Russian 500 Ruble State Credit Note measures about 10¾” x 5” or 270 x 125mm. The PMG holder is 12 and half inches by 7 inches. You really get an idea of how large this note is compared to a U.S. large size bank note of the 1912 time period and they make a contemporary note look like fractional currency. For notes this size you would need a wallet the size of backpack for your walking around money. When this note was issued it was worth about $250 U.S. dollars in 1912 and could be exchanged for 15 ounces of gold.
Currency, Money, Collecting, Numismatic, Numismatist, History, Dollar, Bank note, Hobby, Coin, Gold, Silver, Unites States, Bureau of Engraving & Printing, United States Treasury, Paper Currency, Gold Certificate, Silver Certificate, Legal Tender Note, United States Note, Federal Reserve Note, Federal Reserve Bank Note, National Bank Note, Small Size Bank Notes. Czar Nicholas II. Tsar Nicholas II, World War I, Imperial Russia, Chinese Ming Dynasty 1 Kuan , Philippines $100,000 Piso, Malaysia 600 Ringgit, Russia State Bank Credit Note, Russian Revolution 1917, USSR, Soviet Union, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great

[@KentChannelTV]

Hello from Russia. As a numismatist and historian, I am very pleased to see that you are studying our history and the era of Nicholas 2, the Soviet government. The banknotes shown in the video are extremely pleasing with their condition, and yes 200 rubles is far from the only banknote, now there is such a denomination in Russia, and of course there were quite a few other issues in 1961, 1947 and so on. In a way, I show them at my place, come visit, I will be glad

[@PolarCurrency]

Wow! Russia! I am not an world banknote expert but these state credit notes are the most beautiful paper currency I have seen. Thanks for the comment and I may be expanding Russia some more. Have not decided if this is the direction to expand my currency collection at this time - but it is on the short list.

[@KentChannelTV]

If you like large banknotes, then after the tsarist issue, I recommend paying attention to the 1947 banknotes of the era of Comrade Stalin, they have common features with tsarist banknotes. In Russia, a lot of people collect old banknotes@@PolarCurrency

[@Stuplubakcurrency]

I couldn’t agree more about the comparison with our current money. These notes were designed and printed over a century ago and it’s better than what we have today.

[@PolarCurrency]

Exactly. I get a lot of what the BEP does and why. But really?

[@TheCoinBoxChannel]

Man, what can I say?! You continue to knock these out of the park. Awesome video! So many solid points and so well written and put together. Thanks for acknowledging that the metric system makes more sense 😉

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks Joe - sincerely appreciate that coming form you and what you produce - which is awesome. I do find it ironic that we can't (won't) adopt the metric system which is the same thing as our monetary system. Americans.

[@TheCoinBoxChannel]

@@PolarCurrency and to think the US had a decimal monetary system for about 100 years before it was fully implemented in Mexico.

[@Stuplubakcurrency]

Side bar! Lol! Not only was the Guinness Book worth hours of entertainment, I also read the book of lists.

[@PolarCurrency]

I know! They were the greatest! Of course I had the book staged to fingernails because that creeped me out more than the Siamese Twins!

[@cloud_collection_Elmar]

Привет Ден. Спасибо за интересный обзор! Я тоже, как и вы люблю красивые банкноты. Собираю Венесуэлу из России 😊

[@PolarCurrency]

Original comment translated: Hi Dan. Thanks for the interesting review! Just like you, I love beautiful banknotes. Collecting Venezuela from Russia Polar Reply: Венесуэла делает красивые банкноты. Отлично подходит для коллекционирования, доступен по цене, и есть много заметок. Спасибо за комментарий! (English: Venezuela makes beautiful banknotes. Great to collect, affordable, and there are many notes. Thanks for the comment!)

[@massabesicgoldandsilver]

They are all beautiful notes, but I love that 5 ruble note! Amazing as always. Thank you for another home run Dan 😎👍🏼

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks Dean - and yes the 5 is amazing but I'm ALWAYS a sucker for blue banknotes - just something about them.

[@armandofromthevault9775]

New here to your channel. Heard about you from Stuplubak Currency. I will try to make it on Friday. Great information. Thanks for sharing.

[@PolarCurrency]

No worries it's not Live - so watch it anytime after 5 AM central! And thanks to Stuplbak, again!

[@markjohnson9445]

Always enjoy your videos. Was hoping to get to the big coin and currency show in Pittsburgh today (100+ mi. away) But life just isn't going to let me. If I had, I think I would have looked for some of those USSR big currency bills.

[@PolarCurrency]

Life - can't live with currency...so close...and many other tired sayings! Thanks Mark for the comment and support!

[@667hodge]

Catherine the Great painting was done by Johann Baptist von Lampi who was actually born in Italy.During the American Revolution, Britain asked for Russian help but she wanted Russia to stay neutral.She was said to have sympathy for the Colonists and thought their(our) independence could benefit Russian trade and business.Peter III's autopsy stated that he died of a stroke, but most believe he was assassinated by Alexei Orlov,whose brother Grigory was thought to be Catherine's lover

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks for the background information! Interesting tie to the American Rev!

[@manasawalaaamir]

these are some notes, I will try to get one if I can. Speaking of beautiful bank, you should do a video on indian bank notes specially from 1960-1980, you would find some very colorful notes

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks for tip - I've seen some on @4Kollector and great idea!

[@TengriWorldwideCollectib-rj2fm]

These big banknotes are very nice! Gladly I got these 2 russian banknotes. The Rest maybe at some point of my collecting journey in the future.

[@PolarCurrency]

They really are awesome - the small denominations are very inexpensive. Thanks for the comment.

[@collectingonthecheap56353]

Those are some really beautiful notes! Makes the current Russian note that I have look tiny and basic.

[@PolarCurrency]

They do make them look small but I was surprised that a lot of design elements compare from the 1910/1912 notes to the 1992. Thanks for the support Timothy!

[@edwardsawtell5712]

Great content! Are these foreign, obsolete, or foreign/obsolete? Lol

[@PolarCurrency]

I'm going with obsolete foreign...because of the, you know, whole revolution and assassination thing!

[@blkcrypto]

Incredibly beautiful notes!

[@PolarCurrency]

They really are - and I love the 5 because I'm a sucker for blue notes.

[@gunnysquarterdeck8550]

Ok this video hurts. My wallet that is. Once again you are giving us great content. I guess I will add this one to the list as well. Great stuff. Keep it coming.

[@PolarCurrency]

The 3, 5, 10, & 25 are very inexpensive and that's in UNC condition! Appreciate you Gunny!

[@4Kollector]

Old Russian Czar notes got me into currency collecting in first place so i agree with you 😊

[@PolarCurrency]

Is didn’t! You were holding out on me!😊 They’re amazing. Thanks!

[@4Kollector]

@@PolarCurrency i dont have the complete set but have a few of the notes but they are spectacular

[@Ontario100]

Really enjoyed this video. ❤ So much history and craftsmanship. I agree that is no creativity in our modern currency. ⭐

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks Ontario - with all the modern anti counterfeiting devices that can be used just don’t understand.

[@retirednavyrob]

I have the Russian note and it’s huge. I can imagine that Malaysian note. Awesome video. Thanks for sharing.

[@PolarCurrency]

Thanks Rob! It’s a beautiful note!

[@СергейСуховерхий-к7э]

Размеры малайзийской красавицы впечатляют - 37 ×22 сантиметров, тираж 6000 штук, памятная, книга рекордов Гинессов, цена - космос. Для неё надо дипломат покупать, вместо кошелька или вместо картины на стене размещать. Но русская бона - ходовая была и это её делает "ближе к народу", - Русскому народу, а по итогу и заморскому людцу, что видно из видео.

[@PolarCurrency]

Используйте переводчик Google: Очень ценю ваши комментарии и поддержку и рад, что вам понравилось видео.

[@СергейСуховерхий-к7э]

@@PolarCurrency Спасибо за ответ и спасибо за видео. Разговариваю и пишу на том языке, на котором разговаривал с детства, который "ближе к телу".

[@PolarCurrency]

@@СергейСуховерхий-к7э Я могу это оценить!

[@СергейСуховерхий-к7э]

@@PolarCurrency Отлично! Я рад.

[@EmanuelsWorkbench]

Really beautiful banknotes!

[@PolarCurrency]

They are just stunning. Thanks for the comment!

[@blkcrypto]

But be careful when handling Russian notes, in case they have poison on them…..

[@PolarCurrency]

Paranoid...much!?

[@NightDream-Dream]

I have 500 big notes banknotes

[@NightDream-Dream]

Pls ans

[@PolarCurrency]

That's great - 500 is a great number

[@NightDream-Dream]

Hi sir

[@PolarCurrency]

Hello

[@NightDream-Dream]

Hi

[@PolarCurrency]

Hello again!

[@HolyYuckles]

I know ​​⁠​​⁠@stuplubakcurrency has already done a whole series on the 100 greatest American note book and notes but you should do your own version of it too! Would love to hear your thoughts and info on all 100 notes

[@PolarCurrency]

HolyYuckles - I have been thinking the same thing. I have been holding off on my "overall" favorites for my collection because I have coming (on the short list) my favorite ones, threes, and fives for sure. I don't know about larger denominations as of yet because the bigger they get the less I have! Thanks for the support and anytime I can be like Stuplbak I consider that an honor - he is awesome.