Russian Ruble (₽)

In Russia, you pay with rubles. And kopeks. Which you’ve probably never seen if you’ve never been to Russia. But now we have the internet, and soon planes will be flying again. Here’s an overview of the money you’ll need then. And where the words for the currency come from.

Value and Denominations

A ruble (рубль) isn’t worth much. At the moment, 1 ruble is worth 0.011 euros ( Exchange Rate). So, 100 rubles is about 1 euro.

1 ruble = 100 kopeks, the Russian word for cents. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, and 50 kopeks, and 1, 2, 5, and 10 rubles. Banknotes come in 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 5000 rubles. Breakdown within 1 minute in Russian Currency – Ruble (Currency Name, 2017) and in the video below.

Appearance

This is what the money looks like. Also explored in Currency of the world – Russia. Russian ruble. Russian banknotes (Hobby World, 2020, 4 m) and in a vlog by Sergey Baklykov (Real Russia): Russian Money: Rubles. Banknotes and Coins (2013, 11 m). Alternative design on Behance.

History and More

Language lessons and information about Russian currency combined. Inna (from Comprehensible Russian) explains that рубль is related to рубить (to chop). So, the ruble is literally “chopped.”

More history and background in How Old Is Russian Ruble? What Is Its Symbol? (Comprehensible Russian, 2019, 5 m).

From the same channel, several clips (2019) explain what is depicted on the banknotes.

• What Is On The 50-Ruble Banknote? (4 m)
• What Is On The 100- & 200-Ruble Banknote? (6 m)
• What Is On The 500, 1000 & 2000-Ruble Banknote? (5 m)
• What Is On The 5000-Ruble Banknote? (4 m)

From the irresistibly named channel Yeah Russia, check out Russian banknotes and coins / History of Russian currency (2020, 16 m). Among other things, learn about the relation between a kopek and a spear, the slang word for a thousand rubles (косарь), and join Natasha on a trip to the bank.

New

The 200 and 2000 ruble banknotes got a new design in 2017. The 2000 ruble note came with a surprise. See (in addition to the video below) Funny trick with a new 2000 ruble banknote (Different Russia, 2018, 3 m), and read Russia’s new unconventional banknotes look like euros (Russia Beyond, 2017).

Old

Meanwhile, old money, which can’t do all those things, only gets more beautiful. And more valuable. Один Рубль Ленин может стоить до 500 евро (Цена Монеты, 2018, 5 m): 1 Lenin ruble can be worth up to 500 euros. More coins for collectors in Russian Ruble Coins Collection (Science Sir, 2020, 8 m).

More old money but in banknote form in World banknotes - Russia - 1 Ruble 1917 (The Money Chest, 2020, 4 m).

Also check out Russian Empires Large banknotes 100 and 500 rubles (Gumardee, 2019, 7 m) and this Soviet Money. Review of the USSR paper banknotes (Ushanka Show, 2020, 15 m).

From the same channel, there’s also Mighty Soviet rouble versus American dollar. USSR currency (2019, 16 m).

More on Wikipedia about the Soviet Ruble, as well as the current ruble and its symbol ₽.

See/read:

• The Secrets of Russian Money! Goznak Moscow Printing Factory Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary (Vesti News, 2019, 3 m)
• Самооборона российского рубля – Код доступа (т/к “Звезда”) (Андрей Лысьва, 2018, 37 m)
• Currency of Russia – What can you buy with 500 rubles? (Firebird, 2018, 13 m)
• Russian money and prices – rubles, copecks, рубли, копейки (Antonia Romaker, 2017, 6 m)