1919 - Armenia - 250 Rubles VF+

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1919 - Armenia - 250 Rubles VF+
CA$200.00 CA$125.00

This is a 1919 Armenian banknote for 250 Rubles, issued by the First Republic of Armenia—one of the highest-denomination and most impressive notes of the series.

Identification

  • Country: Armenia (First Republic)

  • Denomination: 250 Rubles

  • Year: 1919

  • Printer: Waterlow & Sons Ltd., London

  • Languages: Armenian, French (République Arménienne), Russian

  • Serial number: U.480627 (printed twice)

  • Type: National currency (not Notgeld)

Historical importance

Issued during Armenia’s brief independence (1918–1920), this note circulated amid:

  • War and famine

  • Refugee crises

  • Severe inflation

High denominations like 250 Rubles were printed late in the series and saw heavier use, making high-grade survivors significantly scarcer than the 50 or 100 Rubles.

Design & symbolism

  • Winged allegorical figures at lower left and right (victory / guardianship motifs)

  • Ornate guilloche engraving—top-tier security printing by Waterlow

  • Multilingual inscriptions asserting sovereignty and international legitimacy

  • Harmonious green–gold–violet palette, among the most elaborate of Armenian issues

This is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful Caucasus banknotes of the era.