Russia
As in Germany, Russia was governed by an imperial monarchy at the beginning of the
century. This was overthrown in 1917 by Lenin and the Bolsheviks. For the next seven
decades, Russia was governed by the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed into numerous independent states.
Silver ruble (1909) with a portrait
of Czar Nicholas II (1894-1917).
Silver 50 kopek (1922) of the Soviet
government depicting the well-known hammer and sickle emblem of Russian communism.
Silver commemorative ruble (1998) of the
Commonwealth of Independent States which restores the old symbol of the Russian
imperial eagle to the coinage.