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The counterfeit banknotes of Viktor Ivanovich Baranov are a famous chapter in the history of the Soviet Union. His craftsmanship was so high that the bills he created were practically indistinguishable from the state-issued ones, and in some aspects, even surpassed them. He produced these banknotes in makeshift conditions, in his own shed using homemade equipment.
The counterfeit banknotes of Viktor Ivanovich Baranov are a famous chapter in the history of the Soviet Union. His craftsmanship was so high that the bills he created were practically indistinguishable from the state-issued ones, and in some aspects, even surpassed them. He produced these banknotes in makeshift conditions, in his own shed using homemade equipment.
Baranov independently developed a technology for producing paper from cotton products, which he bought in regular stores. He also crafted his own printing plates and a mechanism that allowed him to print four banknotes at a time. An exhibition with a recreation of Baranov's laboratory is now housed in the Museum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
For an accurate comparison, it is important to understand that the state-issued 25-ruble banknotes of 1961 were produced in different periods and had variations. There were early issues on lighter, whiter paper, as well as later ones on glossy paper with a more pronounced purple hue.
Viktor Baranov specifically copied the earlier, lighter version of the banknotes. Therefore, for a correct authentication, the counterfeit should be compared with an original of this particular type. The later, more secure issues presumably appeared after Baranov's arrest and incorporated his recommendations for improving money security.
| Feature | Baranov's Counterfeit | Authentic Banknote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Direction of the wave in the pattern | To the right | To the left |
Despite the extremely high quality of the copy, Baranov's printing plate contained one key error that became the main identifier for his counterfeits. This feature can be seen in the decorative wave-like pattern on the front of the banknote.
This difference is present in both the lower pattern under the denomination '25' and the upper one, located next to the inscription 'СССР' (USSR). The slant of the waves on an authentic bill is directed to the left, while on Baranov's counterfeit, it is to the right. This is the simplest and most reliable way to visually distinguish the copy from the original.
There are other, less obvious differences. On Baranov's counterfeit, the print color is less saturated, causing the white paper to show through the patterns. An authentic banknote has an additional purple background layer, which makes the image appear denser.
Errors are also visible when examining the microtext on the reverse side, where the denomination is duplicated in the languages of the union republics. A comparison of the word 'МАНАТ' (MANAT) under magnification reveals the following flaws in the counterfeit:
On the original banknote, all letters within the same word are practically identical, with sharp corners and clear outlines.
The watermarks also give away the counterfeit. On an authentic banknote, the stars appear raised, neat, and sharp when held up to the light. On Baranov's copy, the watermarks are blurry, and the lines are uneven. For example, the tip of the top star might look as if it's been cut off.
An ultraviolet test shows that Baranov's paper, made from consumer-grade cotton mixed with cellulose, glows. The watermark stars also fluoresce. Authentic banknotes from that period do not glow under UV light because they were made from pure cotton. Later, special UV marks were added to original bills, but they differ from the glow of the counterfeit.
Baranov's counterfeits are divided into two types. The first are the 'remnants,' which are blanks without serial numbers that were seized during his arrest. These examples never made it into circulation.
The second type are the banknotes with serial numbers that the counterfeiter managed to circulate. They are extremely rare; to date, only three such bills have been found in bank 'bricks' (wrapped bundles). These are the specimens of immense interest to collectors, and their value can be estimated in the hundreds of thousands or even a million rubles, depending on their condition.
