Bidspirit auction | Russia / Soviet Union -

Russia / Soviet Union - “Liberty Loan” Bond 100 Rubles 1917 together with Soviet Obligation 1,000,000 Rubles 1921 - Rare historical pair from the dramatic transitional era between Imperial Russia, the Russian Provisional Government, and the early Soviet Union. These items reflect the political and economic collapse that followed World War I, the February Revolution of 1917, the October Revolution, and the Bolshevik rise to power. The first item is a “Liberty Loan” bond (Заем Свободы / Zaem Svobody) with a face value of 100 Rubles, issued in 1917 by the Russian Provisional Government in order to finance Russia’s continued participation in World War I. The bond carries a 5% annual interest rate and features an illustration of the Russian State Duma building, alongside official inscriptions and original period signatures. The reverse of the bond contains the full loan conditions in Russian, including redemption schedules, interest terms, and holder rights. The second item is a Soviet obligation note for 1,000,000 Rubles dated 1921, issued by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) during the hyperinflation era that followed the Russian Revolution and Civil War. This note reflects the severe monetary collapse of the early Soviet period, when denominations rapidly escalated into the millions of Rubles. Together, these two items form a fascinating historical documentation of the transition from late Imperial Russia to the early Soviet economy.