The National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia introduced its 200 apsar commemorative banknote in June 2026, the highest denomination yet issued in the country’s apsar series (BanknoteNews). The note carries the catalog reference B106a and the Pick number 6 (P6), and its front is dominated by a portrait of Nestor Apollonovich Lakoba, the Abkhaz revolutionary and political leader of the early Soviet era.
What Is the Apsar?
The apsar is Abkhazia’s commemorative currency unit, issued by the Bank of Abkhazia for collectors rather than for everyday circulation (National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia). The 200 apsar note completes a sequence that already included 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 apsar denominations, cataloged from Pick 1 through Pick 6. As the top value in that run, the 200 apsar release rounds out the series and gives collectors the final piece of the set.
What the 200 Apsar Note Depicts
The design draws heavily on Abkhaz history and emblems, printed in a palette of red, orange, yellow, black, and green. The front carries the following elements:
· Abkhaz text and the apsar currency symbol
· Seven five-pointed stars
· A stylized horseman of the Abkhaz revolutionary detachment known as “Kiaraz”
· A portrait of Nestor Apollonovich Lakoba
· The state emblem of the SSR of Abkhazia
The back turns from politics to place and nature. It shows Abkhaz text, a traditional Abkhaz homestead with residential buildings, a soaring hawk, and, echoing the front, seven five-pointed stars. The result is a two-sided narrative: revolutionary leadership and statehood on one face, homeland and landscape on the other.
Who Was Nestor Lakoba?
Nestor Apollonovich Lakoba (1893 to 1936) was a prominent Abkhaz revolutionary and one of the leading political figures of the early Soviet period in Abkhazia. Placing his portrait on the highest denomination of the apsar series signals how central his memory remains to the region’s sense of its own history, which is exactly the kind of storytelling that makes a commemorative note appealing beyond its face value.
Collecting the 200 Apsar Note
For collectors, the practical details matter as much as the imagery. Uncirculated examples of the 200 apsar commemorative note are presented with an accompanying folder, a presentation format common to commemorative issues and one that helps protect the note while keeping it display-ready. Because the note is recent, well-preserved UNC stock is the form most sought after, and collectors who track grading will note that examples can be submitted to references such as PMG when third-party certification is desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the catalog reference for the Abkhazia 200 apsar 2026 note?
The note is cataloged as B106a by BanknoteNews and carries the Pick number 6 (P6). It is the highest denomination in Abkhazia’s commemorative apsar series.
Who appears on the Abkhazia 200 apsar banknote?
The front features a portrait of Nestor Apollonovich Lakoba (1893 to 1936), an Abkhaz revolutionary and early Soviet-era political leader, alongside the Kiaraz horseman and the state emblem of the SSR of Abkhazia.
When was the 200 apsar note issued?
The National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia introduced the note in June 2026. It is a commemorative issue intended for collectors.