1/100 kopeck (копѣйка) Date of introduction 17 April 1916 | Coins 1, 2, 3 kopecks | |
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Plural The language(s) of this currency belong(s) to the Slavic languages. There is more than one way to construct plural forms. Banknotes 20, 50 kopecks
1, 3, 10, 25, 100 rubles Official user(s) Ober Ost
Courland
United Baltic Duchy | ||
Ostruble (German and Polish: Ostrubel; Latvian and Lithuanian: Ostrublis; Russian: Острубль) is the name given to a currency denominated in kopeck and ruble, which was issued by Germany in 1916 for use in the eastern areas under German occupation (Ober Ost and the Government General of Warsaw). It was initially equal to the Russian ruble. The reason for the issue was a shortage of rubles. The banknotes were produced by the Darlehnskasse in Posen (now Poznań) on 17 April 1916.
Contents
From 4 April 1918, the Ostruble circulated alongside the Ostmark in the Ober Ost area, with 2 Ostmarken = 1 Ostruble. In the Government General of Warsaw the Ostruble was replaced by the Polish marka on 14 April 1917.
Denominations
The denominations available were:
The front sides of the banknotes carry a warning in German against forging banknotes. On the reverse sides is the same warning in Latvian (with old style orthography), Lithuanian and Polish.
There were also 1 kopeck, 2 kopeck and 3 kopeck coins, made out of iron.
Aftermath
The Ostruble circulated in Lithuania together with the Ostmark until 1 October 1922, when it was replaced by the litas.
It was also still in use in a part of the Second Polish Republic during the first months of independence, until 29 April 1920.