u.e.

[Yoshimasa Tsuji]

Dear Alina,
I seem to have misconceived it, but I have been thinking that
u.e. was short for "ukazannykh edinic".
  The thing is that about up to a year ago the prices in Russia
were shown in US dollars when they were too large if shown in
roubles. For example, my pocket calculator can show only eight digits, which
means only up to 999,999 roubles 99 kopecks (about 250 dollars) could be
handled. Therefore, showing the price in dollars was the only way when the
price exceeded $250.
  But, it was perhaps in 1997 that showing the price in US dollars were
forbidden (or perhaps only discouraged because I often see dollar tags
at places where foreigners come for shopping) after using money other than
roubles had been strictly forbidden.
  It was then that <u.e.> began to be printed in the price lists as another
name for US$, and the value of this "edinica" in roubles was shown (ukazana)
elsewhere on a separate sheet, usually on a wall. That was good since
even when the dollar tag was allowed, the exchange rate of a dollar
depended on the site (it was quite normal that they charged more than ten
per cent more than the current exchange rates at banks).
  After the denomination and the relative stabilization of the currency,
<u.e.> has lost most of its significance, but is still being used at
expensive shops, especially where imported goods are sold. It is interesting
to see advertisement that <we are selling at old prices -- 1 u.e.= 12 roubles>.

  Incidentally, <Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka konca XX v. Jazykovye
izmenenija. 1998. SPb.> -- a very useful book for reading contemporary
newspaper --  does not register <u.e.>, which is rather odd.

  Cheers,
Tsuji