10 Latu 1925, Latvia
| in Krause book | Number: 24d |
| Years of issue: | 1929 - 25.03.1941 |
| Edition: | Prefixes M,N,P,R,S,T - 2 700 000 |
| Signatures: | Finanču Ministrs: Ansis Petrevics (in office from 01.12.1928 till 26.03.1931), Valsts saimn. dep. Directors: Jānis Miezis |
| Serie: | Latvijas valsts kases zime |
| Specimen of: | 1925 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 127 х 66 |
| Printer: | Līgatnes papīrfabrika, Ligatne |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Dark and light diagonal waves, 20 mm. wide.
Avers:
Lower is a Caduceus, as a symbol of commerce.
The caduceus is the staff, carried by Hermes, in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography, it was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury, the messenger of the gods, guide of the dead and protector of merchants, shepherds, gamblers, liars, and thieves.
As a symbolic object, it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations, or undertakings associated with the god. In later Antiquity, the caduceus provided the basis for the astrological symbol representing the planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology and alchemy, it has come to denote the elemental metal of the same name. It is said the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. If applied to the dying, their death was gentle; if applied to the dead, they returned to life.
Inscription, centered: "Valsts kases zīmes nodrošinātas to pilnā nomināla vērtībā" or in English "Government treasury bills are accepted at their full face value".
Inscription on right side: "Par Zīmju viltošanu, viltoto zīmju uzglabāšanu un izplatīšanu vainīgie sodāmi pēc attiecīgiem sodu likumiem".
In English: "The perpetrators of counterfeiting, storage and distribution of counterfeit marks shall be punished in accordance with the relevant penal laws."
Revers:
On background is a rye field with rye sheaves.
The image of the golden rising sun with 11 wide wavy rays, between which there were 10 narrow wavy rays, was also placed in the azure upper half of the shield of the State Emblem of the Republic of Latvia, approved on June 16, 1921 by the Constitutional (Constituent) Assembly of Latvia, the draft of which was created by the returnee from Petrograd by the graphic artist Rihards Germanovich Zariņš, together with Vilis Krūmiņš, (the artist himself signed "Zarrinsh" in Russian, Rihards Zariņš, 1869-1939), who until 1917 held the position of technical and artistic director of the Expedition of Preparing State Papers (EZGB ) Of the Russian Empire and the Provisional Government (according to his projects, banknotes and postage stamps of the All-Russian Provisional Government were issued in 1905-1917).
The lower half of the shield of the Latvian coat of arms was cut, in the right silver field was depicted a wormy rebellious lion from the historical coat of arms of Courland and Semigale, symbolizing Kurzeme and Zemgale, and a silver griffin from the historical coat of arms of Livonia, symbolizing Vidzeme and Latgale.
Above the shield, three golden five-pointed stars were depicted in an arc of a circle, touching each other with two rays, symbolizing the unity of the three historical parts of Latvia - Kurzeme and Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale. (www.heraldicum.ru .ru)
In anticipation of a trip to Latvia, in May 2014, I found an information on the Internet with the assumptions, that this oak, on the banknote 5 Lats is likely located near the village of Kaive. It is on the road to Ventspils, if you drive from Riga, in Tukums region. My wife and I became very interested in visiting this place.
After right turn from paved road we faced an unpaved one, sprinkled with coarse gravel. I drove a few hundred yards and decided to make sure that we're going in the right direction. Went into a village library, near the road.
Women, and them there were six, were very pleasant and talkative. We just became a little upset, because they said, that the oak is barely alive, he is very old and it is good, that we have come now, because, who knows, how many years are left for the oak.
Having gone 8 kilometers we reached the goal and were pleasantly surprised. It is evident, of course, that the tree is really old, but in our opinion, still very much alive. Just try to imagine, what this oak has survived for some, just simply, 1000 years. This photo you can see here.
Oak of ancestors in Kaive.
The biggest tree in girth in the Baltics and Eastern Europe. In the 20th years of the 20th century the lightning struck the top of the tree, so only the one largest branch survived. When the oak was in full bloom, the girth of its crown was about 70 m, height - 17 m. Presumably, the ancient oak footstool was a cult place. Until recently, nearby residents believed, that before a long journey they should go to the oak, then the trip will have a success.
As a place of worship of the ancient Latvians, it is included in the list of archaeological sites. A tree, as secular republican values, is on the list of protected objects of nature. Oak of ancestors Kaive is eleventh in thickness and most voluminous oak in the Baltics and Eastern Europe. Speculation about his real age vary, some believe that it is 800-1000 years old. Today, its girth is 10.2 meters.
Comments:
Paper for banknote is made in Ligatne, Latvia.
I became interested in the question - "Why is the State Treasury (Latvijas valsts kases zime) designated by the issuer on the 10 Lat banknotes, and the Bank of Latvia (Latvijas Bankas) is the issuer on other banknotes?"
I had to start translating the article - in the article the answer to the above question !, in Latvian, I apologize for possible translation errors.
In addition, I, unexpectedly, went to the digitized archive of Latvian periodicals, where I found an article from the Russian-language newspaper Vechernee Vremya, dated November 24, 1924, just on the topic.
Please, read here.
Designer: Rihards Zariņš.
Rihards Zariņš (also Richards Zarriņš or Richard Sarrinsch in German speaking countries; Kocēni, June 27, 1869 - Riga, April 21, 1939) was a prominent Latvian graphic artist.
He was born in Kocēni and grew up in Līgatne and later in Grīva. He pursued his studies in St. Petersburg, where he graduated in 1895 from the Stieglitz Central School for Technical Drawing. He then went on to further studies in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, where he studied lithography, and Paris, where he honed his skills in watercolour and pastels.
He returned to Russia where he was employed by the Russian Imperial Printing Office in St. Petersburg for 20 years, acting as technical director. From 1905 he was in charge of designing state papers. In 1919, he returned to newly independent Latvia where he was appointed director of the government printing house. He held that position for over 14 years and retired at the beginning of 1934. After a stroke, he lost his ability to speak; however, he continued to draw until the last day of his life.
Zariņš was one of the best-known Latvian graphic artists. His first works appeared in the early 1890s on the pages of the then-popular Latvian-language magazine, "Austrums" (The East), when he was still a student at the Stieglitz art school. He dedicated a great amount of time in the study of folk ornamentation, and under his leadership, the state publishers produced a monumental work on Latvian decorative arts.
During his career, the artist designed many stamps of the Russian Empire, Soviet Russia, Belarusian People’s Republic, and Latvia. He is an author of the very first Soviet stamps issued in 1918.
Zariņš was a prolific artist who produced many book illustrations, engravings and lithographs. His oeuvre also contains drawings, water-colour painting, and caricatures. Among his works of applied art are the design of the Latvian coat of arms as well as several designs for bank notes issued by the Printing Office, and several coins of the Latvian lats. 
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