Time and money

A bear from afar and a QR coded coin: what you did not know about Belarus’ national currency

The new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood is dedicated to the history of our country’s monetary system. The project titled Belarusian Rouble: 30 Years of National Currency showcases samples of banknotes from different years, commemorative notes, coins, and more. Our journalists have attended the exhibition opening and prepared an overview of the most interesting exhibits for our readers.

Belarusian Rouble: 30 Years of National Currency — exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood

‘Hares’ and ‘squirrels’  

Many people remember the banknotes featuring animals — these were Belarus’ first national currency. But why did they depict specifically animals? The answer is simple: back at that time, there was no consensus in the country on which historical figure should be depicted. The option featuring animals was adopted as a compromise. The inspiration came from… Dutch guilders adorned with sunflowers! Thus, the creators of the Belarusian currency turned to the book Animals and Birds of Our Country, published in 1957. The banknote worth Br1 quickly earned the popular nickname ‘hare’, which subsequently extended to all Belarusian banknotes, although there were other animals on the 1992 notes as well. 
Interestingly, the Br50 banknote featured a baribal — a species of black bear that has never existed in Belarus. The bear’s origins lie in North America, yet few people paid attention to this fact at the time. 

Banknote featuring Yanka Kupala

The National Bank’s collection includes samples of notes featuring images that, for various reasons, never went into circulation. One such banknote from 2004 — specifically worth Br100,000 — was slated to have the portrait of Yanka Kupala. Had it come to fruition, it would have marked the first instance of a known personality being depicted on currency in the Belarusian history. Ultimately, the note featured the Nesvizh Castle instead. The artist, who transferred the landmark from the painting by Napoleon Orda onto the banknote, initially illustrated an Orthodox cross on the building’s spire, although the original featured the Radziwill family crest. This was subsequently corrected.

Coupons

The museum unveils samples of coupons that could have served as temporary currency following the dissolution of the USSR. The project was proposed by British company De La Rue — the world’s leading commercial security printer that was collaborating with numerous countries at the time. However, Belarus’ National Bank deemed the idea insufficiently viable and rejected the proposal. 
In general, the matter of currency was fraught from the outset. In 1992, the Soviet rouble was still in circulation within our country. There were discussions about transitioning to the Russian currency, but, as you know, the famous ‘hares’ were ultimately adopted.

Metallographic plate

This is the form used for printing banknotes through the metallographic method. First, ink is applied to the plates, filling the surface and the engravings with varying intensities. The ink is then transferred to the paper — it is pressed into the plate with a powerful press, which allows producing the necessary elements. The embossed design is created on both sides of the banknote. Why such complexity? Isn’t it possible just to print money using a conventional printer? In fact, countries worldwide strive to protect their national currencies from counterfeiting. Therefore, the more unique the appearance, the greater the guarantee that the banknote cannot be forged.

Master punch

A benchmark tool for coin minting that determines the size and specific details of the product’s appearance can also be found at the exhibition. The use of punches ensures stylistic consistency, uniformity, and recognisability of the coins. The tool is equipped with a pressing function, resulting in the familiar coin that meets all the requirements for legal tender.

BY THE WAY

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Belarusian rouble, the museum has presented two commemorative coins titled Belarusian Rouble. 30 Years made from precious metals. The gold coin weighs two grammes and has a mintage of 10,000 copies, while the silver coin weighs five grammes with a mintage of 20,000 copies. Both coins are made from 999 fine metals. The obverse depicts the building of the National Bank, while the reverse showcases a bison framed by the Belarusian national ornament. The appearance of the coin obverse resembles the front side of the Br20 banknote issued in 2000. A similar bison previously adorned the front of the Br100 banknote from 1992. Both coins were gifted to the Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood by representatives of Belarus’ National Bank.

Commemorative coin UNOVIS

UNOVIS is an avant-garde artistic association founded by Kazimir Malevich in Vitebsk. The coin was released in 2020 and stands out for its extraordinary concave-convex shape. It is available in two variants — one made of copper-nickel with a denomination of Br1, and a silver version valued at Br20. Both sides are bordered with a rim that stands out along the circumference. The sides of the coins are textured. Notably, they feature a QR code — by scanning it, one can access a digital page containing information about the Vitebsk-based avant-garde group.

Commemorative coin for Ignat Domeyko’s 200th anniversary

The exhibition reveals two coins — a smaller copper-nickel coin with a denomination of Br1, and a larger silver coin valued at Br20. The mintage for the smaller coin is 2,000 copies, while only 1,000 silver coins were produced, making the silver version the rarer of the two. On the right side of the coins, there is an embossed image of the prominent Belarusian scientist’s portrait, and on the left — a geological hammer. Interestingly, the silver coin includes an inlay of stone similar to the copper arsenide mineral domeykite — which the scientist first discovered in Chile — along with its chemical formula. In contrast, the copper-nickel coin lacks this inlay; instead, it features an embossed image of mountains.

By Olga Nevmerzhitskaya