The Global Ledger. The Ruble Shadow. Hyperinflation and Survival in the Post-Soviet Era

THE GLOBAL LEDGER

The Ruble’s Shadow. Hyperinflation and Survival in the Post-Soviet Era

In 1991, one of the greatest superpowers in human history didn’t just collapse on a map—it vanished from the bank accounts and pockets of nearly 300 million people.

In The Ruble’s Shadow, numismatist and author Fanie Buys explores the chaotic twilight of the Soviet Union through the unique lens of its currency. This is the story of “Sacrificial Money”—the temporary coupons, tickets, and tokens printed by fifteen newly born nations as they fought to escape the economic vacuum left by a fallen empire.