Features of the "City Series" Banknote Collection
The collection of modern Russian banknotes, presented in the album, begins in 1995 with the introduction of the so-called "city series." In addition to the banknotes themselves, the collection is supplemented with official printed materials from the Bank of Russia, such as brochures and booklets, which gives it additional informational value.
There are several unique features to this approach to banknote collecting. Firstly, preference is given to pairs of banknotes with consecutive serial numbers. Secondly, the collection includes related artifacts associated with currency circulation.
Such artifacts include packaging materials, namely the bands from banknote straps and bundles. This allows for the preservation not only of the notes themselves but also of the elements of their bank packaging, making the collection more complete and interesting to study.
Printed Materials from the Bank of Russia
An important part of the collection consists of official publications dedicated to the banknotes. Among them is a large brochure, almost a book, titled "Russian Banknotes of the 1995 Series," published by the Perm Printing Factory of Goznak. It details all denominations of the series up to 100,000 rubles, but information about the 500,000 ruble note is absent.
In the publication, several pages are dedicated to each denomination with a detailed description of its security features, including those visible under ultraviolet light. In addition to this book, the collection includes other materials.
- Small brochures for individual denominations: 10,000, 50,000, and 100,000 rubles.
- Booklets dedicated to the 1997 denomination.
- Information leaflets about the 2004 banknote modification.
- Brochures about commemorative banknotes, such as the one dedicated to the Sochi Olympics (in Russian and English).
- A general booklet in English, "Banknotes and coins of the Bank of Russia," presenting the entire range of currency.
The 1000 Ruble Denomination of 1995
The first of the lower denominations in the collection is the 1000 ruble banknote of the 1995 series. This item is considered quite common and easy to find among collectors. In the album, it is represented by a pair of notes with consecutive serial numbers.
Of particular interest are not the banknotes themselves, but samples of their security features, which are also included in the collection. These samples demonstrate the individual technologies used in printing the notes.
- Watermark with the denomination.
- Main watermark.
- Security thread (presented in several versions).
The 5000 and 5 Ruble Banknotes
| Banknote Type | Year | Distinctive Feature |
| 5 rubles | 1997 | First issue after the denomination |
| 5 rubles | 2022 | Late issue with a lacquer coating |
The next spread of the album is dedicated to the 5000 ruble banknote of the 1995 series and the 5 ruble banknote of the 1997 series. After the 1997 denomination, the 5000 ruble note became the 5 ruble note, retaining its basic design.
The collection includes both the first issues of the 5 ruble banknote from 1997 and one of the latest, dated 2022. The latter issue is distinguished by a special lacquer coating, which was introduced to increase its durability.
The collection for this denomination is supplemented by packaging bands. One is from a bank strap (100 banknotes) for the old-style notes, and the second, for the 2022 notes, is from a bundle (1000 banknotes).
