Rouble

Rouble, the unit of the Russian money system, first cut from silver bars in 1321, and coined in 1655. There are now gold imperials and half-imperials of 10 and 5 roubles. But most of the currency is paper, and the ratio of the gold rouble to the paper rouble was in 1896 fixed at $1\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ to 1. In 1897 imperials and half-imperials were coined of 15 and $7\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ roubles (i.e. paper roubles). The silver rouble is nominally worth 3s. 2d. But when silver is at 26d. per oz., it is really worth 1s. $4\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$d.; at 30d. per oz. 1s. $6\backslash frac\{3\}\{4\}$d. In 1888 silver was $42\backslash frac\{3\}\{4\}$d.; in 1890, $47\backslash frac\{3\}\{4\}$d.; in 1894, 29d.; in 1898, $26\backslash frac\{3\}\{4\}$d. The rouble is divided into 100 kopeks.