{"title":"Caucasus","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"armenia-1000-dram-2022-p-61b-unc","title":"Armenia 1000 dram 2022 P-61b UNC—Paruyr Sevak Պարույր Սևակ","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"42\" data-end=\"83\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eParuyr Sevak\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e(in Armenian script: \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eՊարույր Սևակ, \u003c\/span\u003e1924–1971) was one of the most powerful and \u003cstrong\u003eunsettling\u003c\/strong\u003e voices of modern Armenian \u003cstrong\u003epoetry\u003c\/strong\u003e, admired for fusing classical Armenian literary tradition with an intensely personal, \u003cstrong\u003emorally restless modernism\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWriting in the Soviet era, he pushed Armenian poetry beyond ornamental lyricism toward intellectual rigor, \u003cstrong\u003eemotional nakedness, and civic conscience\u003c\/strong\u003e, often probing themes of identity, love, betrayal, faith, and national survival. His long poem \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"519\" data-end=\"541\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eUnsilenceable Belfry\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e—a searing meditation on Komitas and cultural trauma—cemented his stature as a poet of collective memory. Sevak’s sudden death in 1971, officially ruled an accident, only deepened his \u003cstrong\u003emythic status,\u003c\/strong\u003e and today he remains both a literary touchstone and a quietly \u003cstrong\u003edefiant symbol of Armenian intellectual independence.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin: 0; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFront\u003c\/strong\u003e features Paruyr Sevak, poems\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBack\u003c\/strong\u003e features the Paruyr Sevak house \u003cstrong\u003emuseum\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eZangakatun; \u003c\/strong\u003estatue of Sevak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51499252908343,"sku":"AM0091b0UNC","price":4.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/57_96b192ee-75eb-4591-96cb-d6eaed573ecc.jpg?v=1766777410"},{"product_id":"nagorno-karabakh-p-2-drams-light-red","title":"JESUS CHRIST Nagorno-Karabakh Artsakh 2 Dram 2004 UNC—Armenia Azerbaijan War 61629","description":"\u003cp\u003eNagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh, ethnic Armenian Republic breakaway from Azerbaijan 1991–2024) P-901 2 Drams 2004, Uncirculated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBanknote Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFront:\u003c\/strong\u003e National Coat of Arms of Nagorno-Karabakh; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gandzasar\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGandzasar Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist\u003c\/a\u003e (Madakert district); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gregory_the_Illuminator\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSaint Gregory the Illuminator\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBack:\u003c\/strong\u003e National Coat of Arms of Nagorno-Karabakh; bas-relief Christian cross; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baptism_of_Jesus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJohn the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Repeating text \"SECURITY PRINT BY OSD\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spartak Tevosian (ST) — Minister of Finance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing institution:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ministry of Finance, Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh_dram\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArtsakh Dram\u003c\/a\u003e (2003–2023; demonetized 1 January 2024)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2 Dram\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 150 × 80 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYes\u003c\/a\u003e — 1 January 2024\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%96sterreichische_Banknoten-_und_Sicherheitsdruck_GmbH\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÖsterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH\u003c\/a\u003e, Vienna, Austria (1816–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Baptism of Jesus: What the Reverse Depicts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene on the reverse — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/John_the_Baptist\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJohn the Baptist\u003c\/a\u003e baptizing \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJesus Christ\u003c\/a\u003e in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jordan_River\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJordan River\u003c\/a\u003e — is one of the most theologically charged moments in the Christian Gospels, and one of the few events recorded in all four of them. In the accounts of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gospel_of_Matthew\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMatthew\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gospel_of_Mark\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMark\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gospel_of_Luke\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLuke\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gospel_of_John\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJohn\u003c\/a\u003e, Jesus comes to the Jordan where John has been baptizing crowds in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. John initially resists — \"I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?\" — but Jesus insists. As he emerges from the water, the heavens open, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Holy_Spirit\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHoly Spirit\u003c\/a\u003e descends in the form of a dove, and a voice declares: \u003cem\u003e\"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armenian_Apostolic_Church\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArmenian Apostolic Church\u003c\/a\u003e — one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, tracing its founding to the apostles \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thaddeus_of_Edessa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThaddeus\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bartholomew_the_Apostle\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBartholomew\u003c\/a\u003e in the 1st century AD — the Baptism of Jesus holds particular liturgical weight. \u003cb\u003eArmenia celebrates the Nativity and Baptism of Christ together on 6 January\u003c\/b\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Theophany\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTheophany\u003c\/a\u003e), unlike Western churches which separate Christmas and Epiphany. The feast is called \u003cem\u003eAstvatsahaytnoutyoun\u003c\/em\u003e — the Manifestation of God. Placing the Baptism scene on the reverse of a banknote issued by a self-declared Armenian Christian republic was not incidental: it was a declaration of identity as much as a religious image, asserting that Artsakh's claim to the land was rooted in a Christian civilisation predating Islam, Azerbaijan, and the Soviet Union alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eNagorno-Karabakh: A Disputed Land\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNagorno-Karabakh\u003c\/a\u003e — also known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Republic_of_Artsakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArtsakh\u003c\/a\u003e — was a landlocked, mountainous enclave situated within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, but governed for decades by an ethnic Armenian administration following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The region had been an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan; when the USSR dissolved in 1991, a war erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over its status. A ceasefire in 1994 left the enclave and surrounding territories under Armenian control, but no internationally recognized state ever acknowledged its independence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (later renamed the Republic of Artsakh) maintained its own government, currency, and institutions for over three decades. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh_conflict\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNagorno-Karabakh conflict\u003c\/a\u003e flared repeatedly — in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_Nagorno-Karabakh_War\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFirst War (1988–1994)\u003c\/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2016_Nagorno-Karabakh_war\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFour-Day War (2016)\u003c\/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2020_Nagorno-Karabakh_war\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e44-Day War (2020)\u003c\/a\u003e, and finally the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2023_Azerbaijani_offensive_in_Nagorno-Karabakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSeptember 2023 offensive\u003c\/a\u003e, in which Azerbaijan restored full sovereignty in under 24 hours. The Armenian population, which had constituted the overwhelming majority of the enclave's residents, fled to Armenia within weeks. On 1 January 2024, the Republic of Artsakh was formally dissolved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow These Banknotes Came to Be\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Artsakh dram series was an unusual chapter in numismatic history. The notes were not produced to meet the demands of everyday commerce — they were conceived as a deliberate act of nation-building through philately and numismatics. The \u003cstrong\u003eEducational Coin Company\u003c\/strong\u003e, a numismatic wholesale firm based in Highland, New York, worked in conjunction with the government of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to commission the series. The printing contract was awarded to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%96sterreichische_Banknoten-_und_Sicherheitsdruck_GmbH\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOesterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH\u003c\/a\u003e in Vienna — one of Europe's most prestigious security printers, with a history dating to 1816.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe notes were issued in 2004 under the authority of the Ministry of Finance, signed by Finance Minister Spartak Tevosian. They were denominated in the Artsakh dram, pegged at parity with the Armenian dram, and declared legal tender — but their primary purpose was always collector distribution and international visibility. The entire dram currency was demonetized on \u003cstrong\u003e1 January 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e, following the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. These notes now stand as artifacts of a state that no longer exists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGandzasar Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gandzasar\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGandzasar\u003c\/a\u003e is a medieval Armenian monastery complex in the Madakert district, completed in 1216–1240 under the patronage of the Armenian prince \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hasan-Jalal_Dawla\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHasan-Jalal Dawla\u003c\/a\u003e. Its Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist is considered one of the finest examples of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armenian_architecture\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArmenian ecclesiastical architecture\u003c\/a\u003e, renowned for its intricately carved drum and dome and its elaborate \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khachkar\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ekhachkar\u003c\/a\u003e (cross-stone) reliefs. The monastery served for centuries as the seat of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catholicos_of_Caucasian_Albania\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCatholicos of Caucasian Albania\u003c\/a\u003e and remained a living religious site through the Soviet period and the years of Artsakh self-rule. Its appearance on this banknote was a pointed assertion of Armenian Christian heritage in the region — a claim rendered in stone and ink at a moment when the political future of the land remained violently contested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Final Reflection: Currency of a Vanished State\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is something quietly extraordinary about a banknote issued by a country the world refused to recognize. The Artsakh 2 Dram note was printed in Vienna, distributed through a New York coin dealer, and declared legal tender in a republic that existed in a kind of international limbo — real to the people who lived there, invisible to the governments that drew the maps. It carried the symbols of a civilization — the cathedral, the cross, the coat of arms, the Baptism — and asked the world to look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe world, in the end, looked away. But the note remains. It is now a primary document of a state that lasted thirty-three years and then was gone — a small rectangle of paper that outlasted the republic it was meant to represent. For the collector, it is irreplaceable: there will be no more Artsakh dram issues, no reprint, no successor series. What exists is what exists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn essential acquisition for numismatists specializing in disputed territories, post-Soviet transitional issues, or the broader Caucasus region. With the Republic of Artsakh dissolved as of 1 January 2024, the entire dram series has passed permanently into history, making Uncirculated examples increasingly difficult to source.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51592077771063,"sku":"NK901U","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/Screenshot_2026-04-11_at_11.36.08.png?v=1775921850"},{"product_id":"azerbaijan-p7-500-roubles-1920-vf","title":"Azerbaijan P7 500 roubles 1920 VF Very Fine","description":"\u003cp\u003eAzerbaijan Democratic Republic (Azərbaycan Demokratik Cümhuriyyəti, 1918-1920).  Color: lavender\/purple tones.\u003cbr\u003e\nآزربايجان جومهوریتی\u003cbr\u003e\nبيش يوز منات\u003cbr\u003e\nCİNQ CENTS ROUBLES\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51596592349495,"sku":"AZ7VF","price":18.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/7o_06adc0bc-ba12-454a-a0ff-f18014daee48.jpg?v=1773679425"},{"product_id":"abkhazia-p-7-10-apsar-2024-russian-occupied-part-of-georgia-leopard-2","title":"Abkhazia P-7 10 Apsar 2024 —Russian-occupied part of Georgia; Leopard","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFront\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoat of arms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeopard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient bronze axe with primitive drawing of animal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBack\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient bronze axe with primitive drawing of animal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStylized upper part of \u003cstrong\u003ealabasha\u003c\/strong\u003e (traditional Abkhaz military and hierarchical staff)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat the heck \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e Abkhazia?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"272\" data-start=\"55\"\u003eAbkhazia is a territory on the eastern coast of the Black Sea in the Caucasus that functions as a \u003cstrong data-end=\"183\" data-start=\"153\"\u003ede facto independent state\u003c\/strong\u003e, but is \u003cstrong data-end=\"271\" data-start=\"192\"\u003einternationally recognized as part of \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eGeorgia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"462\" data-start=\"274\"\u003eIn practical terms, Abkhazia governs itself with its own government, borders, and institutions. However, most countries and international organizations consider it legally part of Georgia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"477\" data-start=\"464\" data-section-id=\"ao0xtq\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGeography\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"669\" data-start=\"479\"\u003eAbkhazia lies along the northeastern coast of the Black Sea. To the north it borders Russia, while the rest of its land border touches Georgia. The capital and main port city is \u003cstrong data-end=\"668\" data-start=\"657\"\u003eSukhumi\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"966\" data-start=\"671\"\u003eThe territory is relatively small—about 8,600 square kilometers—but geographically dramatic. A narrow subtropical coastal strip rises quickly into the high Caucasus Mountains. The climate is warm and humid along the coast, which historically made the region a popular Soviet seaside resort area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"988\" data-start=\"968\" data-section-id=\"1nqa0aj\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePolitical status\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1219\" data-start=\"990\"\u003eThe modern political situation dates to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Abkhazia had been an autonomous republic within Soviet Georgia. As the USSR collapsed, tensions between Abkhaz and Georgian political movements intensified.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1450\" data-start=\"1221\"\u003eThe conflict erupted in the \u003cstrong data-end=\"1290\" data-start=\"1249\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eWar in Abkhazia (1992–1993)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. Abkhaz forces ultimately expelled Georgian government troops. During and after the war, most of the region’s ethnic Georgian population fled or was displaced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1737\" data-start=\"1452\"\u003eSince then Abkhazia has operated as a self-governing state with its own president, parliament, army, and border controls. Only a handful of countries—most prominently Russia—recognize its independence. The vast majority of the world continues to treat the territory as part of Georgia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1825\" data-start=\"1739\"\u003eRussia maintains military bases in Abkhazia and provides substantial economic support.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1841\" data-start=\"1827\" data-section-id=\"1r3tiq5\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2023\" data-start=\"1843\"\u003eThe population is roughly 240,000 people. The largest ethnic group is the Abkhaz themselves, followed by Armenians, Georgians (mostly Mingrelians), and a smaller Russian community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2341\" data-start=\"2025\"\u003eThree languages are commonly heard. \u003cstrong data-end=\"2071\" data-start=\"2061\"\u003eAbkhaz\u003c\/strong\u003e is the traditional local language and belongs to the Northwest Caucasian language family. \u003cstrong data-end=\"2173\" data-start=\"2162\"\u003eRussian\u003c\/strong\u003e functions as the main everyday lingua franca and is widely used in administration and commerce. \u003cstrong data-end=\"2282\" data-start=\"2270\"\u003eGeorgian\u003c\/strong\u003e is spoken mainly among the remaining Georgian communities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2355\" data-start=\"2343\" data-section-id=\"1ptbedd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2540\" data-start=\"2357\"\u003eAbkhazia has issued a small number of commemorative coins and banknotes through its national bank, 1 apsar equal to 10 Russian rubles . In everyday life, however, the \u003cstrong data-end=\"2490\" data-start=\"2473\"\u003eRussian ruble\u003c\/strong\u003e is the currency used for nearly all transactions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2567\" data-start=\"2542\" data-section-id=\"tp5u7o\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical background\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"2803\" data-start=\"2569\"\u003eThe region has passed through many political spheres over the centuries. In antiquity it was associated with the Greek world of Colchis. Later it came under Byzantine influence and eventually formed part of medieval Georgian kingdoms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3034\" data-start=\"2805\"\u003eAfter centuries of shifting control between regional powers, the Russian Empire annexed the area in the nineteenth century. Under the Soviet Union it became the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Georgian SSR.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3141\" data-start=\"3036\"\u003eThe unresolved legacy of those Soviet-era administrative borders lies at the heart of the modern dispute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3420\" data-start=\"3183\"\u003ePolitical scientists describe Abkhazia as a \u003cstrong data-end=\"3266\" data-start=\"3227\"\u003epartially recognized de facto state\u003c\/strong\u003e. That means it functions as an independent country in practice but lacks broad international recognition and is legally considered part of another state.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"3537\" data-start=\"3422\"\u003eOther places often described in similar terms include Transnistria, South Ossetia, Northern Cyprus, and Somaliland.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51782560514359,"sku":"ABKH7U","price":4.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/3o_f36e93de-ca60-4ec2-8402-edbb298df0ef.jpg?v=1773591468"},{"product_id":"azerbaijan-p-39-w39-5-manat-2022-u","title":"Azerbaijan P-39 W39 5 Manat 2022 UNC—National Anthem—Map","description":"\u003cp\u003eAzerbaijan 5 Manat 2020–2022, Uncirculated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFront:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBooks, quill and pen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcerpt from the state anthem in background\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBack:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMap of Azerbaijan and Europe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQobustan rock hieroglyphs\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mainly brown tones with some olive tones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Coat of arms and electrotype “5”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elman Rustamov (ER) — Governor, Central Bank of Azerbaijan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing Bank:\u003c\/strong\u003e Central Bank of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Mərkəzi Bankı)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e Third Manat (ISO: AZN, 2006–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5 Manat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 127 × 70 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rectangular\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e Independent Republic of Azerbaijan (1991–present); previously Azerbaijan SSR, constituent republic of USSR (1920–1991)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Nation That Reads\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBooks, Quill, and the Words of an Anthem\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost countries put presidents or generals on their money. Azerbaijan put books and a quill pen. That choice says something. The 5 Manat note leads with scholarship and poetry — and running quietly through the background, almost like a watermark of the soul, are lines from the national anthem, \u003cem\u003eAzərbaycan marsı\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe anthem itself has a story worth knowing. Its lyrics were written by the poet Ahmad Javad, its music by the composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov — two giants of Azerbaijani culture who both ran afoul of Soviet authorities. The anthem was suppressed for decades. When Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991, bringing it back wasn’t just ceremonial; it was an act of recovery. Printing its words on the national currency was a way of saying: \u003cem\u003ewe remember, and we’re not letting go again.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eForty Thousand Years on the Back of a Banknote\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQobustan and the Map of Azerbaijan\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlip the note over and the timeline lurches backward — way backward. Alongside a map of Azerbaijan sits imagery drawn from \u003cstrong\u003eQobustan\u003c\/strong\u003e, a limestone plateau southwest of Baku covered in petroglyphs carved by people who lived here up to 40,000 years ago. They left no written language, no monuments, no names — just thousands of images pressed into rock: hunters, dancers, boats, bulls, figures reaching toward something we can only guess at.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUNESCO made Qobustan a World Heritage Site in 2007. But its appearance on this banknote is making a different kind of argument — not to a committee, but to anyone who holds the note. It’s saying: \u003cem\u003ewe were here long before the borders were drawn, long before anyone thought to argue about them.\u003c\/em\u003e For a country that has spent much of its modern history in territorial dispute, that’s not a small thing to put on your currency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA Final Reflection: Old Stone, Fresh Ink\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere’s a quiet audacity to this note. One side reaches back to the prehistoric; the other insists on the literary and the lyrical. Together they make a case that Azerbaijan is not just a post-Soviet state finding its footing — it’s the latest chapter of something very old. Whether you’re drawn to the Caucasus, to the aesthetics of modern banknote design, or simply to currency that has something to say, the 5 Manat earns its place in any serious collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUncirculated examples from the 2020–2022 emission are crisp, well-printed, and full of detail — exactly as they left the press.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51799013130551,"sku":"AZ39U","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/39o.jpg?v=1774233819"},{"product_id":"jesus-christ-nagorno-karabakh-artsakh-p-2-10-dram-2004-unc-armenia-azerbaijan-war","title":"JESUS CHRIST Nagorno-Karabakh Artsakh P-902 10 Dram 2004 UNC—Armenia Azerbaijan War 71128","description":"\u003cp\u003eNagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh, ethnic Armenian Republic breakaway from Azerbaijan 1991–2024) P-902 10 Dram 2004, Uncirculated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBanknote Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFront:\u003c\/strong\u003e National \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Coat_of_arms_of_the_Republic_of_Artsakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCoat of Arms of Nagorno-Karabakh\u003c\/a\u003e; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJesus Christ\u003c\/a\u003e holding the Gospels and raising hand in benediction; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dadivank\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDadivank monastery\u003c\/a\u003e, Shahumian district\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBack:\u003c\/strong\u003e National Coat of Arms of Nagorno-Karabakh; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khudafarin_bridges\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eancient Hudaferin bridge\u003c\/a\u003e; wine barrel with bunch of grapes; \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karabakh_carpet\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKarabakh carpet\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Repeating text \"SECURITY PRINT BY OSD\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spartak Tevosian (ST) — Minister of Finance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing institution:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ministry of Finance, Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh_dram\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArtsakh Dram\u003c\/a\u003e (2003–2023; demonetized 1 January 2024)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 Dram\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 165 × 90 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYes\u003c\/a\u003e — 1 January 2024\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%96sterreichische_Banknoten-_und_Sicherheitsdruck_GmbH\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eÖsterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH\u003c\/a\u003e, Vienna, Austria (1816–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReferences:\u003c\/strong\u003e P-902; TBB B102\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eJesus Christ on a Banknote\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe obverse of the P-902 is one of the most unusual images in modern banknote design: a frontal depiction of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJesus Christ\u003c\/a\u003e in the Byzantine \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pantocrator\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePantocrator\u003c\/a\u003e tradition — holding the Gospels in his left hand and raising his right in the gesture of benediction. \u003cb\u003eNo other circulating banknote in the world bears the image of Jesus Christ.\u003c\/b\u003e The choice was deliberate and politically charged: Artsakh was asserting itself as a Christian republic in a Muslim-majority region, rooting its claim to the land in a religious and civilisational identity predating Islam, the Ottoman Empire, and the Soviet Union alike. The image is not decorative — it is a declaration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armenian_Apostolic_Church\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArmenian Apostolic Church\u003c\/a\u003e — one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, tracing its founding to the apostles \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thaddeus_of_Edessa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThaddeus\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bartholomew_the_Apostle\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBartholomew\u003c\/a\u003e in the 1st century AD, and the state church of Armenia since 301 AD — the image of Christ in benediction carries the full weight of fifteen centuries of national identity. Armenia was the \u003cb\u003efirst nation in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion\u003c\/b\u003e, under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tiridates_III_of_Armenia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKing Tiridates III\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gregory_the_Illuminator\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSaint Gregory the Illuminator\u003c\/a\u003e. Placing Christ on the currency of Artsakh was an act of memory as much as faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eDadivank: The Monastery on the Front\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dadivank\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDadivank\u003c\/a\u003e is a medieval Armenian monastery in the Shahumian (Kalbajar) district, one of the most significant monastic complexes in the South Caucasus. Founded according to tradition in the 1st century AD at the site of the martyrdom of the apostle \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thaddeus_of_Edessa\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDadi\u003c\/a\u003e, the current structures date primarily from the 9th–13th centuries. Its cathedral, gavit (narthex), and bell tower are among the finest surviving examples of Armenian medieval architecture. \u003cb\u003eDadivank became a flashpoint in the 2020 war\u003c\/b\u003e: as Azerbaijani forces advanced, Russian peacekeepers were deployed specifically to protect it. It now sits in Azerbaijani-controlled territory, its future as an Armenian religious site uncertain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Reverse: Bridge, Wine, and Carpet\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse assembles three symbols of Karabakh's cultural and economic identity. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Khudafarin_bridges\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHudaferin bridges\u003c\/a\u003e — twin medieval stone arch bridges spanning the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aras_River\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAras River\u003c\/a\u003e on the Armenian-Iranian border — are among the oldest surviving bridges in the South Caucasus, dating to the 11th–12th centuries. The wine barrel and grapes reference Karabakh's ancient winemaking tradition — the region sits at the edge of one of the world's oldest wine-producing areas, and Armenian winemaking dates back over 6,000 years to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Areni-1_winery\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAreni cave complex\u003c\/a\u003e. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karabakh_carpet\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKarabakh carpet\u003c\/a\u003e represents one of the most celebrated traditions in Armenian and Azerbaijani craft — both sides claim it as their own, making its appearance on an Artsakh banknote another quiet act of cultural assertion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eNagorno-Karabakh: A Disputed Land\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNagorno-Karabakh\u003c\/a\u003e — also known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Republic_of_Artsakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArtsakh\u003c\/a\u003e — was a landlocked, mountainous enclave within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, governed for decades by an ethnic Armenian administration following the Soviet collapse. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nagorno-Karabakh_conflict\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNagorno-Karabakh conflict\u003c\/a\u003e flared repeatedly — in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/First_Nagorno-Karabakh_War\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFirst War (1988–1994)\u003c\/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2016_Nagorno-Karabakh_war\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFour-Day War (2016)\u003c\/a\u003e, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2020_Nagorno-Karabakh_war\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e44-Day War (2020)\u003c\/a\u003e, and finally the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2023_Azerbaijani_offensive_in_Nagorno-Karabakh\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSeptember 2023 offensive\u003c\/a\u003e, in which Azerbaijan restored full sovereignty in under 24 hours. The entire ethnic Armenian population fled to Armenia within weeks. On 1 January 2024, the Republic of Artsakh was formally dissolved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow These Banknotes Came to Be\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Artsakh dram series was conceived as a deliberate act of nation-building through numismatics. The \u003cstrong\u003eEducational Coin Company\u003c\/strong\u003e, a numismatic wholesale firm based in Highland, New York, worked with the Nagorno-Karabakh government to commission the series, printed by the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%96sterreichische_Banknoten-_und_Sicherheitsdruck_GmbH\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eOesterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH\u003c\/a\u003e in Vienna — one of Europe's most prestigious security printers. Issued in 2004 and signed by Finance Minister Spartak Tevosian, the notes were legal tender but produced primarily for collector distribution and international visibility. The entire series was demonetized on \u003cstrong\u003e1 January 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e following the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCurrency of a Vanished State\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Artsakh 10 Dram note carried more symbolism per square centimetre than almost any banknote in modern history: Christ in benediction, a medieval monastery, an ancient bridge, a wine tradition six millennia old, and a carpet both sides claim as their own. It was printed in Vienna, sold through a New York coin dealer, and declared legal tender in a republic the world refused to recognize. \u003cb\u003eIt asked the world to look.\u003c\/b\u003e The world, in the end, looked away. But the note remains — a primary document of a state that lasted thirty-three years and then was gone. There will be no more Artsakh dram issues. What exists is what exists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn essential acquisition for collectors of disputed territories, post-Soviet transitional issues, Christian iconography on currency, or the broader Caucasus region. Condition: UNC.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51948847399223,"sku":"NAKA902U","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/902-zoom-jesus.png?v=1775927991"},{"product_id":"georgia-p-n-390756-1000-roubles-1992-unc-state-loan","title":"Georgia 1000 Roubles 1992 UNC—State Loan Bond—Loan Repayment Scheme","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most unusual documents to emerge from the chaos of post-Soviet independence: a 1992 Georgian state internal loan bond, denominated in Russian roubles, printed in Georgian script by Russia's own state printer — a snapshot of a nation scrambling to build financial infrastructure from scratch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e light tan\/cream background; dark brown engraving; muted green accents\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eText in Georgian Mkhedruli script reading \u003cem\u003eსაქართველოს რესპუბლიკა\u003c\/em\u003e — \"Republic of Georgia\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDenomination: \u003cstrong\u003e1000 Roubles\u003c\/strong\u003e, prominently displayed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeries and bond number: 20960 \/ 1992\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFull Georgian-language text declaring this a \"State internal profitable loan 1992\" bond in the amount of one thousand roubles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColors:\u003c\/strong\u003e cream\/off-white background; dark brown printed text and grid\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoan repayment schedule — a printed table showing the scheme for paying off the loan over time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDenomination \u003cstrong\u003e1000\u003c\/strong\u003e and year \u003cstrong\u003e1992\u003c\/strong\u003e repeated\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single known variety — \u003cstrong\u003e1992 state loan — this note\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Numista N#390756\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 160 × 116 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper exonumia (state loan bond — not a circulating banknote)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Republic of Georgia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Goznak\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGoznak\u003c\/a\u003e (Экспедиция заготовления государственных бумаг), Russian Federation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDemonetized:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eYes\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScript:\u003c\/strong\u003e Georgian (Mkhedruli)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e Russian Rouble (transitional; Georgia had not yet issued its own currency)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Georgian\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Georgia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e The English name \"Georgia\" likely derives from the Persian \u003cem\u003eGurj\u003c\/em\u003e or Arabic \u003cem\u003eJurjān\u003c\/em\u003e, possibly referencing St. George, the country's patron saint. Georgians call their country \u003cem\u003eსაქართველო\u003c\/em\u003e (Sakartvelo), meaning \"land of the Kartvelians.\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tbilisi\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTbilisi\u003c\/a\u003e (city pop. ~1.1 million; metro ~1.5 million)\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e From the Old Georgian \u003cem\u003eTpilisi\u003c\/em\u003e, meaning \"warm place\" — a reference to the city's natural sulfuric hot springs, still in use today.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~3.7 million (UN 2023) — roughly South Carolina or Oregon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 69,700 km² (26,911 mi²) — slightly smaller than South Carolina; comparable to the Republic of Ireland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$22,000 (IMF 2024)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Copper ore, vehicles, ferro-alloys, wine, mineral water, hazelnuts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Russia (north), Azerbaijan (east), Armenia (south), Turkey (southwest), Black Sea (west)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOfficial\/spoken language:\u003c\/strong\u003e Georgian (Kartvelian language family — unrelated to any other language family on Earth)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Georgians\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGeorgians\u003c\/a\u003e (~86%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Azerbaijanis_in_Georgia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAzerbaijanis\u003c\/a\u003e (~6%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Armenians_in_Georgia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eArmenians\u003c\/a\u003e (~5%), Russians and others\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUnited Nations\u003c\/a\u003e (1992); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Council_of_Europe\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCouncil of Europe\u003c\/a\u003e (1999); \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/World_Trade_Organization\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWTO\u003c\/a\u003e (2000); EU candidate status (2023)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient kingdoms of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Colchis\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eColchis\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kingdom_of_Iberia\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIberia\u003c\/a\u003e (c. 6th century BC onward)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnified Kingdom of Georgia (1008–1490) — golden age under Queen \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tamar_the_Great\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTamar\u003c\/a\u003e (1184–1213)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFragmentation and Mongol\/Persian\/Ottoman invasions (13th–18th centuries)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnnexed by the Russian Empire (1801)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrief independence: Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoviet annexation (1921); Georgian SSR within the USSR\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndependence restored (April 9, 1991) — \u003cstrong\u003ethis bond issued during the first year of independence\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRepublic of Georgia (1991–date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGeorgia Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeorgia is one of the world's oldest wine-producing regions — archaeological evidence of winemaking dates back 8,000 years, predating ancient Egypt's wine culture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Georgian alphabet is one of only 14 unique writing systems in the world and is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIn 1992, Georgia was simultaneously fighting two separatist wars (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) while also experiencing a civil war — making this bond's issuance an act of extraordinary institutional ambition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeorgia has no McDonald's — one of the few European countries that doesn't\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe country has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites per capita than most of its neighbors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeorgians are among the world's most hospitable peoples by cultural tradition — the concept of \u003cem\u003eTamada\u003c\/em\u003e (toastmaster) at feasts is a centuries-old institution\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJoseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia — a fact the country has a complicated relationship with\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Nation Writing Its Own Rules\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1992, Georgia had been independent for less than a year. The Soviet Union had just collapsed, the national currency didn't exist yet, and the country was already at war on two fronts. Into this void, the Republic of Georgia issued this bond — denominated in Russian roubles, printed by Russia's own Goznak facility, and written entirely in Georgian script. It is a document of defiant nation-building: asserting Georgian identity and financial sovereignty with the only tools available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe repayment schedule on the reverse\u003c\/strong\u003e is particularly poignant — a government promising future payment to its own citizens at a moment when the future was genuinely uncertain. Most of these bonds were never redeemed at face value in any meaningful economic sense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFor the Collector\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this extraordinary artifact of post-Soviet transition — a 1992 Georgian state loan bond in UNC condition, printed in Georgian Mkhedruli script by Goznak, Russia. It is simultaneously a financial instrument, a political statement, and a piece of living history from one of the most turbulent years in the Caucasus. Few items in numismatics capture the birth of a nation so directly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: Uncirculated (UNC). A remarkable survivor from a chaotic era.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52110595195191,"sku":"GEN390756UNC","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/390756o.jpg?v=1780578193"}],"url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/collections\/caucasus.oembed","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}