Russian ruble facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Russian ruble
Российский рубль (Russian)
banknote of 100 rubles of the sample of 2022 Coins
ISO 4217 Code	RUB
Official user(s)	Russia
Unofficial user(s)	Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Inflation	7.4% (December 2023)
Source	Bank of Russia
Method	CPI
Subunit
1⁄100	kopeyka (копейка)
Symbol	₽
kopeyka (копейка)	коп. or к (Cyrillic) kop or k (Latin)
Plural	The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms. See article.
Coins
Freq. used	₽1, ₽2, ₽5, ₽10
Rarely used	1 kop, 5 kop, 10 kop, 50 kop, ₽25
Banknotes
Freq. used	₽5, ₽10, ₽50, ₽100, ₽200, ₽500, ₽1,000, ₽2,000, ₽5,000
Printer	Goznak

The ruble (also spelled rouble) is the official money of Russia. Its symbol is ₽. The ruble is divided into 100 smaller units called kopecks. You can use rubles in Russia and in some parts of Ukraine and Georgia that are currently under Russian control.

The ruble was also the money used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, Russia changed its currency design. In 1993, the first Russian ruble (code: RUR) replaced the old Soviet ruble.

Then, on January 1, 1998, the ruble was changed again. This time, 1,000 old rubles (RUR) became 1 new ruble (RUB). This happened right before a big financial crisis in Russia.

History of the Russian Ruble

The ruble has been used in Russian lands since the 1300s. It is one of the oldest currencies still used today, second only to the British pound.

At first, the ruble was just a way to count money, not a coin itself. But in 1704, it became a real coin. This was just before the Russian Empire was formed. The ruble was also the first currency in Europe to be divided into 100 smaller parts (kopecks) in 1704.

Over time, the ruble has been changed and revalued many times. The most recent change was in 1998. That's when the current Russian ruble (RUB) was introduced, with 1 new ruble equal to 1,000 old rubles.

The Ruble from 1992 to 1998 (RUR)

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the old Soviet money was still used in Russia until 1992. New coins were made in 1992, and new banknotes were issued by the Bank of Russia in 1993. This new money replaced the Soviet ruble at the same value. It was given the code RUR.

The value of the ruble dropped a lot during this time. In July 1992, one US dollar was worth 125 RUR. By 1998, when the money was revalued, one US dollar was worth about 6,000 RUR.

RUR Coins (1992-1998)

After the Soviet Union ended, Russia made new coins in 1992. These coins came in values of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 rubles. The coins showed a two-headed eagle without a crown. This eagle was the same one designed by artist Ivan Bilibin for the Russian Republic after the February Revolution.

Because of high inflation, the smallest coins quickly became less useful. Other coins were also used less often.

RUR Banknotes (1961-1997)

New paper money was introduced in 1961 for 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 rubles. In 1991, higher value notes like 200, 500, and 1,000 rubles were added. In 1992, Russia started issuing 5,000 and 10,000 ruble notes. Even higher values like 50,000, 100,000, and 500,000 rubles followed in the mid-1990s.

After the Soviet Union broke up, Russian banknotes and coins usually didn't have portraits of people. This was different from the past, when leaders were often shown. Later, some notes started showing statues of important historical figures like Peter the Great and Yaroslav.

The Ruble from 1998 to Today (RUB)

In 1998, the Russian ruble was revalued. This meant that 1,000 old rubles (RUR) became 1 new ruble (RUB). This change made the money easier to handle. Old Soviet coins from 1961 to 1991 could also be exchanged for new rubles.

This revaluation happened just before the 1998 Russian financial crisis. The ruble lost 70% of its value against the US dollar in the six months after this crisis. It went from about 6 rubles per dollar to around 20 rubles per dollar.

From 2001 to 2013, the ruble stayed fairly stable, around 30 rubles per dollar. But from 2014 to 2021, its value dropped to 60-80 rubles per dollar. This was due to events like the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014 and a drop in oil prices. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and new international rules, it fell further to 110 rubles per dollar.

In April 2022, the ruble's value went back up, even higher than before the 2022 conflict. However, it has been slowly dropping again since mid-2022.

The Ruble Symbol

The ruble sign, used since 2013

An old ruble symbol from the 17th century

An early symbol for the ruble was used between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was made from two Russian letters, "Р" and "У", placed on top of each other. This symbol was put above the amount of money. However, it stopped being used by the mid-1800s.

For many years, Russia didn't have an official symbol for the ruble. People used abbreviations like "Rbl" or "руб." In 2007, the Central Bank of Russia started looking for a new symbol.

On December 11, 2013, the official symbol for the ruble became . It looks like the Russian letter Er (Р) with a horizontal line through it. This symbol was added to computer systems like Unicode in 2014.

Russian Coins Today

In 1998, new coins were introduced along with the revalued ruble. These coins are still used today.

Currently circulating coins

Image		Value	Technical parameters			Description			Years of minting
Reverse	Obverse		Diameter	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse
		1 kop	15.5 mm	1.5 g	Cupronickel-steel	Plain	Saint George	Value	1997–2009 2014, 2017
		5 kop	18.5 mm	2.6 g
		10 kop	17.5 mm	1.95 g	Brass	Reeded	Saint George	Value	1997–2006
				1.85 g	Brass-plated steel	Plain			2006–2015
		50 kop	19.5 mm	2.90 g	Brass	Reeded			1997–1999 2002–2006
				2.75 g	Brass-plated steel	Plain			2006–2015
		₽1	20.5 mm	3.25 g	Cupronickel	Reeded	Emblem of the Bank of Russia	Value	1997–1999 2005–2009
				3.00 g	Nickel-plated steel				2009–2015
							Coat of arms of Russia		2016–present
		₽2	23 mm	5.10 g	Cupronickel	Segmented (Plain and Reeded edges)	Emblem of the Bank of Russia		1997–1999 2006–2009
				5.00 g	Nickel-plated steel				2009–2015
							Coat of arms of Russia		2016–present
		₽5	25 mm	6.45 g	Cupronickel-clad copper		Emblem of the Bank of Russia		1997–1998 2008–2009
				6.00 g	Nickel-plated steel				2009–2015
							Coat of arms of Russia		2016–present
		₽10	22 mm	5.63 g	Brass-plated steel	Segmented (plain and reeded edges)	Emblem of the Bank of Russia	Value	2009–2013, 2015
							Coat of arms of Russia		2016–present

Kopeck coins are not used much because they have a very low value. Stores and people sometimes don't even accept them.

These coins were first made in 1998, though some show the year 1997. Kopeck coins show St. George and the Dragon. Ruble coins (except special ones) show the two-headed eagle.

In 2008, the Bank of Russia thought about removing 1 and 5 kopeck coins. They also considered rounding all prices to the nearest 10 kopecks. This idea hasn't happened yet. The Bank of Russia stopped making 1 and 5 kopeck coins in 2012, and all kopecks in 2018.

The materials for 1, 2, and 5 ruble coins were changed in 2009. They now use nickel-plated steel instead of copper-nickel. 10 and 50 kopecks also changed from brass to brass-plated steel.

In October 2009, a new 10 ruble coin was released. It is made of brass-plated steel and has special security features. There are also many special 10-ruble coins made of two different metals. These coins have a unique holographic security feature inside the "0" of the number 10.

Since 2011, special 25-ruble coins have been made for the Olympics. Other special coins are also made to celebrate national events and anniversaries.

The Bank of Russia also makes other special coins that are not for everyday use. Their values range from 1 ruble to 50,000 rubles.

Russian Banknotes Today

On January 1, 1998, a new series of banknotes was released. These notes came in values of ₽5, ₽10, ₽50, ₽100, and ₽500. The ₽1,000 note came out in 2001, and the ₽5,000 note in 2006. These designs were updated in 2001, 2004, and 2010.

In April 2016, the Central Bank of Russia announced two new banknotes for 2017: ₽200 and ₽2,000. People voted on which places and symbols would be on these new notes. The 200-ruble note shows places from Crimea, like the Monument to the Sunken Ships and Chersonesus. The 2,000-ruble note features images from the Russian Far East, such as the bridge to Russky Island and the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

In 2018, a special 100-ruble note was made to celebrate Russia hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. This note is made of a special plastic material and has clear parts and a hologram. Even though it's real money, many ATMs in Russia can't recognize it.

In March 2021, the Central Bank said it would update the designs of the ₽10, ₽50, ₽100, ₽1,000, and ₽5,000 banknotes. These updates will make them safer and are expected to be finished by 2025.

The first new design, for the ₽100 note, was shown on June 30, 2022. It features famous places in Moscow, like Red Square and Ostankino Tower. The back of the note shows the Rzhev Memorial to the Soviet Soldier.

In late 2022, the Central Bank started printing 5-ruble and 10-ruble notes again. These new notes began appearing in 2023.

1997 series

Image		Value	Dimensions	Description				Dates
Obverse	Reverse			Town	Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	Printing*	Issue	Withdrawal	Lapse
		[[Russian five-ruble banknote|₽5]]	137 × 61 mm	Veliky Novgorod	The Millennium of Russia monument on background of Saint Sophia Cathedral	Fortress wall of the Novgorod Kremlin	"5", Saint Sophia Cathedral	1997 2022	1 January 1998	Current, but not issued from 2001 until 2021. Re-issued in 2022. Rarely seen in circulation. Returned to circulation in 2023.
		[[Russian ten-ruble banknote|₽10]]	150 × 65 mm	Krasnoyarsk	Kommunalny Bridge across the Yenisei River, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel	Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric plant	"10", Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel	1997 2001 2004 2022		Current, but not issued from 2010 to 2021. Re-issued in 2022. Still in use, but rarely seen in circulation. Returned to circulation in 2023.
		₽50		Saint Petersburg	A Rostral Column sculpture on background of Peter and Paul Fortress	Old Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange and Rostral Columns	"50", Peter and Paul Cathedral			Current
		₽100		Moscow	Quadriga statue on the portico of the Bolshoi Theatre	The Bolshoi Theatre	"100", The Bolshoi Theatre
		₽500		Arkhangelsk	Monument to Czar Peter the Great, sailing ship and sea terminal	Solovetsky Monastery	"500", portrait of Peter the Great	1997 2001 2004 2010
		₽1,000	157 × 69 mm	Yaroslavl	Monument to Yaroslav I the Wise and the Lady of Kazan Chapel	John the Baptist Church	"1,000", portrait of Yaroslav the Wise	2001 2004 2010	1 January 2001
		₽5,000		Khabarovsk	Monument to Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky	Khabarovsk Bridge over the Amur	"5,000", portrait of Muravyov-Amursky	2006 2010	31 July 2006
These images are to scale at 0.7 pixel per millimetre. For table standards, see the banknote specification table. Each new banknote series has enhanced security features, but no major design changes. Banknotes printed after 1997 bear the fine print "модификация 2001г." (or later date) meaning "modification of year 2001" on the left watermark area.

2017–2025 series

Image		Value	Dimensions	Description				Date of
Obverse	Reverse			Federal District	Obverse	Reverse	Watermark	printing	issue	withdrawal	lapse
		₽100	150 × 65 mm	Central Federal District	Moscow: Spasskaya Tower, Zaryadye Park, Moscow State University, Ostankino Tower	Memorial to the Soviet Soldier, Rzhev, Tver Oblast; Kulikovo Field, Tula Oblast	"100", Spasskaya Tower	2022	30 June 2022	Current
		₽200	150 × 65 mm	Southern Federal District	Monument to the Sunken Ships (by sculptor Amandus Adamson), Sevastopol	View of Chersonesus	"200", Monument to the Sunken Ships	2017	12 October 2017
		₽1,000	157 × 69 mm	Volga Federal District	Nizhny Novgorod: Nikolskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, Nizhny Novgorod Fair, Spit of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Stadium	Museum of the History of Statehood of the Tatar People and the Republic of Tatarstan in Kazan, Söyembikä Tower on the Kazan Kremlin, Museum of Archeology and Ethnography in Ufa	"1000", Nikolskaya Tower of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin	2023	16 October 2023
		₽2,000	157 × 69 mm	Far Eastern Federal District	Vladivostok: Russky Bridge, Far Eastern Federal University	Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast	"2000", Russky Bridge	2017	12 October 2017
		₽5,000	157 × 69 mm	Ural Federal District	Yekaterinburg: Stele "Europe - Asia", Iset Tower in Yekaterinburg-City, Vysotsky, Yekaterinburg Circus, House of Communications (main post office building), Palace of Sporting Games, Sevastyanov's House	Monument "Tale of the Urals" in Chelyabinsk, metallurgical plant, stele "66 parallel" (Arctic Circle) in Salekhard, oil and gas industry facilities	"5000", House of Communications (main post office building), Sevastyanov's House	2023	16 October 2023

The Central Bank plans to update more banknotes in the future:

• ₽10 (2025): Will show Novosibirsk.
• ₽50 (2025): Will show Saint Petersburg.
• ₽500 (2024): Will show Pyatigorsk.

Where Russian Money is Made

QR codes from newer banknotes

All Russian ruble banknotes are printed at a special government factory called Goznak in Moscow. This factory started in 1919. Coins are made at the Moscow Mint and the Saint Petersburg Mint. The Saint Petersburg Mint has been making coins since 1724.

Controversy Over the 1,000-Ruble Note

On October 16, 2023, a new design for the 1,000-ruble note was shown. Some people from the Russian Orthodox Church were unhappy with the design. They pointed out that one building on the note had an Islamic symbol, but a former church building on the note did not show an Orthodox cross. The Bank of Russia said the design was not meant to disrespect any religion. The next day, they announced that the design would be changed, and these notes would not be printed.

How International Rules Affect Banknotes

New 100-ruble notes introduced in 2022 might not work with many cash registers and bank machines. This is because these machines are often imported and need updates from foreign companies. Due to international rules, these updates might not happen. However, Russian banks have been working to switch their ATMs to local software since 2018.

Economics of the Ruble

Worldwide official use of foreign currency or pegs. The ruble is used in Russia and Russian occupied territories of Georgia and Ukraine.      Russian ruble users, including the Russian Federation      US dollar users, including the United States      Currencies pegged to the US dollar      Euro users, including the Eurozone      Currencies pegged to the euro
     Australian dollar users, including Australia      New Zealand dollar users, including New Zealand      South African rand users (CMA, including South Africa)      Indian rupee users and pegs, including India      Pound sterling users and pegs, including the United Kingdom
     Special drawing rights or other currency basket pegs      Three cases of a country using or pegging the currency of a neighbour

In Russia, it is usually against the law for people to use other countries' money for transactions. If they do, they can be fined a large part of the transaction's value. There are only a few exceptions to this rule.

Ruble in Global Trade

In 2010, Russia and China decided to use their own money for trade instead of the US dollar. This was meant to improve their relationship and protect their economies. Trading between the Chinese yuan and the ruble began in both countries.

In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the ruble's value should be balanced. He explained that the Central Bank only steps in when the ruble's value goes too high or too low. He believed that a freer ruble would help the economy react better to changes.

How the Ruble's Value Changes

The first Russian ruble (RUR) introduced in 1992 lost a lot of its value against the US dollar. It went from 125 RUR per dollar to about 6,000 RUR per dollar by 1998. The new ruble (RUB) then quickly dropped to 20 RUB per dollar in its first year. After that, it stayed around 30 RUB per dollar from 2001 to 2013.

From 2014 to 2016, Russia faced a financial crisis. This happened because the value of the ruble fell sharply. People lost trust in the Russian economy. This was caused by two main things:

• The price of oil dropped by almost half in 2014. Oil is a major export for Russia.
• Other countries placed economic rules on Russia. This was after Russia took over Crimea and got involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

The crisis affected Russian people and businesses. It also impacted Russia's goals for its economic union. The Russian stock market saw big drops. The ruble fell greatly against the US dollar from July 2014 to February 2015. Even raising interest rates couldn't stop the currency from hitting very low values.

In early 2022, Russia faced more strict economic rules due to the invasion of Ukraine. This caused the ruble's value to drop by 32%. In March 2022, it traded at 120 rubles per dollar. On March 23, 2022, President Putin announced that Russia would only accept payments for gas from "unfriendly countries" in rubles. This, along with other actions to control money flow and rising prices for goods, caused the ruble to become very strong in May 2022. By the end of June 2022, it reached its highest value in seven years, at 51 rubles per dollar.

Most traded currencies by value
Currency distribution of global foreign exchange market turnover

Rank	Currency	ISO 4217 code (symbol)	% daily share (April 2016)
1	United States dollar	USD ($)	87.6%
2	Euro	EUR (€)	31.4%
3	Japanese yen	JPY (¥)	21.6%
4	Pound sterling	GBP (£)	12.8%
5	Australian dollar	AUD ($)	6.9%
6	Canadian dollar	CAD ($)	5.1%
7	Swiss franc	CHF (Fr)	4.8%
8	Chinese yuan	CNY (¥)	4.0%
9	Swedish krona	SEK (kr)	2.2%
10	New Zealand dollar	NZD ($)	2.1%
11	Mexican peso	MXN ($)	1.9%
12	Singapore dollar	SGD ($)	1.8%
13	Hong Kong dollar	HKD ($)	1.7%
14	Norwegian krone	NOK (kr)	1.7%
15	South Korean won	KRW (₩)	1.7%
16	Turkish lira	TRY (₺)	1.4%
17	Russian ruble	RUB (₽)	1.1%
18	Indian rupee	INR (₹)	1.1%
19	Brazilian real	BRL (R$)	1.0%
20	South African rand	ZAR (R)	1.0%
Other			7.1%
Total Most traded currencies by value Currency distribution of global foreign exchange market turnover Rank Currency ISO 4217 code Symbol or abbreviation Proportion of daily volume, April 2019 Proportion of daily volume, April 2022 1 U.S. dollar USD US$ 88.3% 88.5% 2 Euro EUR € 32.3% 30.5% 3 Japanese yen JPY ¥ / 円 16.8% 16.7% 4 Sterling GBP £ 12.8% 12.9% 5 Renminbi CNY ¥ / 元 4.3% 7.0% 6 Australian dollar AUD A$ 6.8% 6.4% 7 Canadian dollar CAD C$ 5.0% 6.2% 8 Swiss franc CHF CHF 5.0% 5.2% 9 Hong Kong dollar HKD HK$ 3.5% 2.6% 10 Singapore dollar SGD S$ 1.8% 2.4% 11 Swedish krona SEK kr 2.0% 2.2% 12 South Korean won KRW ₩ / 원 2.0% 1.9% 13 Norwegian krone NOK kr 1.8% 1.7% 14 New Zealand dollar NZD NZ$ 2.1% 1.7% 15 Indian rupee INR ₹ 1.7% 1.6% 16 Mexican peso MXN $ 1.7% 1.5% 17 New Taiwan dollar TWD NT$ 0.9% 1.1% 18 South African rand ZAR R 1.1% 1.0% 19 Brazilian real BRL R$ 1.1% 0.9% 20 Danish krone DKK kr 0.6% 0.7% 21 Polish złoty PLN zł 0.6% 0.7% 22 Thai baht THB ฿ 0.5% 0.4% 23 Israeli new shekel ILS ₪ 0.3% 0.4% 24 Indonesian rupiah IDR Rp 0.4% 0.4% 25 Czech koruna CZK Kč 0.4% 0.4% 26 UAE dirham AED د.إ 0.2% 0.4% 27 Turkish lira TRY ₺ 1.1% 0.4% 28 Hungarian forint HUF Ft 0.4% 0.3% 29 Chilean peso CLP CLP$ 0.3% 0.3% 30 Saudi riyal SAR ﷼ 0.2% 0.2% 31 Philippine peso PHP ₱ 0.3% 0.2% 32 Malaysian ringgit MYR RM 0.1% 0.2% 33 Colombian peso COP COL$ 0.2% 0.2% 34 Russian ruble RUB ₽ 1.1% 0.2% 35 Romanian leu RON L 0.1% 0.1% … Other 2.2% 2.5% Total 200.0% 200.0% || style="text-align:right;" | 200.0%

See also

In Spanish: Rublo ruso para niños

• Belarusian ruble
• Transnistrian ruble
• Ruble (disambiguation), various historic and modern rubles.