ALASKAN RUSSIAN-AMERICAN WALRUS SKIN MONEY

FINEST COLLECTION OF ALASKAN RUSSIAN-AMERICAN WALRUS SKIN MONEY FEATURED IN KAGIN'S MARCH 11-12 AUCTION

Believed to be the finest collection of Alaskan Russian-American walrus skin Money is being offered in Kagin's March 11-12, 2021 Auction on-line and live in the San Francisco Bay area. The Joe Usibelli Collection of six of these rare notes, plus an additional note includes some of the finest examples of these early and mid-19th century banknotes. The offering is tied for the third largest ever.

Highlights include 10 Kopecks PMG NEW-61 Ex: John J. Ford, Jr. Collection; 25 Kopecks PMG NEW-62; 50 Kopecks PMG VERY CHOICE NEW-63; one of two known 1 Rouble on aqua-green parchment graded PMG Extremely Fine-40 tear repair Ex: Henry Clifford Collection; and 1 Rouble on mustard colored parchment PMG graded AU-50 Ex: Henry Clifford, John J. Ford, Jr.

Russian-American Company Walrus Skin money appeals to U.S. currency collectors, world paper money buyers, Alaskan, California and Russian collectors, and Odd & Curious/ Primitive Money collectors.

As early as 1741 Alaska had become part of Russia's land holdings and by 1790 the local fur trading industry flourished.

In 1799 Czar Paul I purchased shares in the semi-autonomous Russian-American Company, to monopolize on the trade in Russian America. By 1811 their holdings eventually encompassed parts of California as far south as Fort Ross.

A major aspect of the fur trading Russian-American Company enterprise consisted of shipping otter and seal skins to China in waterproof bags made of walrus leather skins. The bags were reused to wrap shipments of various spices bound for Russian ports. In 1816 select pieces to be cut from the walrus bags and stamped with seven different values including 10, 25, and 50 Kopeks, and 1, 5, 10 and 25 Roubles to pay colonial employees and facilitated commerce. Other issues were printed in 1822, 1826, 1834, 1842, 1845 and 1852 although according to the cataloger less than 50 of these notes are currently extant.

The entire 408 page catalog can be viewed on-line at www.Kagins.com or call 888-8KAGINS(852-4467).

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