These rubles are held in high esteem by all the public. Are you wondering where you can sell the silver coins of Nicholas II? Tsar nicholas 2 coins
SILVER RUBLES NICHOLAS II
The editorial office often receives questions with a request to identify a particular coin. We bring to your attention an overview of rubles during the reign of Nicholas II.
Numismatics of tsarist Russia ceased to exist with the 1917 revolution. The political system fell, Emperor Nicholas II and his family were shot, and for a long time the country was in complete ruin.
However, before the last coin of the Russian Empire was minted with a stamp with the profile of Nicholas 2, many interesting and rather strange events took place in the world of numismatics, the consequences of which became the subject of close attention of collectors. Nicholas imperials, semi-imperials, the famous tens of gold, the last tsarist ducat, commemorative and jubilee silver rubles, as well as incredible numismatic nonsenses that appeared during the reign of the last Russian tsar - it is about the silver coins of Nicholas 2 that will be discussed today.
Returning the Emperor's profile to coins
Starting from Peter the Great (1700-1725), in tsarist Russia there was a tradition of minting the profile of an emperor or empress on silver and gold coins of large denominations (Polupoltina, Poltina, Ruble, etc.). This tradition existed for quite a long time, right up to Paul I (1796-1801). The last coins with the profile of the Empress were minted in 1796. After the death of Empress Catherine II in 1796, Paul I ascended the throne, whose appearance no one liked, including himself. After Paul I did not approve the trial ruble with his profile, the tradition of minting portrait coins ceased for a whole century. Only occasionally, on commemorative coins, issued in small editions, there was a profile of Alexander 1, Alexander 2 and Nicholas 1.
During the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894), portraits of the emperor began to appear on regular coins. This happened for the first time in 1886. Then the portraits of Alexander 3 were minted on silver coins of large denomination, starting at 25 kopecks. The portraits were not applied to coins of lesser denomination, since it was believed that they were used by the "rabble". The portrait of the tsar should not be in servile pockets and fall into callous dirty hands.
Nicholas II finally revived the tradition of minting portrait coins of large denominations, starting with the coronation ruble. All gold and silver coins of Nicholas II, starting from 25 kopecks, became portrait ones.
Jubilee and commemorative coins of Nicholas II
During the reign of Nicholas II, several silver commemorative and commemorative coins were issued, which went down in the history of numismatics. Among them, one can especially highlight the commemorative coronation ruble of 1896.
The portrait for the coronation ruble was made by the artist Anton Vasyutinsky, who happened to create portraits of the last tsar, and after the revolution, portraits of Lenin for Soviet coins and medals.
The circulation of the silver coronation ruble was 190 thousand copies, minted by May 1896 and were presented to all participants in the coronation. They were carefully kept and passed on as a memory from generation to generation. Therefore, quite a lot of coronation rubles have survived to this day in perfect condition. In this connection, the cost of the coronation ruble of Nicholas 2 today is only no more than $ 400-500, although in some cases, for example, if the coin is in perfect condition, its price reaches $ 2,000.
Also, a commemorative ruble of 1898 made of silver is allocated from the total mass for the opening of the monument to Alexander 2 in Moscow in 1893. The circulation of the coin was 5 thousand copies, repeating the small medal by A. Grichilis the Younger, who carved large and small medals with a portrait of Alexander 3 on the obverse, and on the reverse side - a statue of Alexander 2, installed in the new pavilion of the Kremlin memorial. The cost of the commemorative ruble of 1898 today is 3-4 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 12 thousand dollars.
In 1912, a commemorative silver ruble and several medals were minted and put into circulation in honor of the opening of a large monument to Alexander 3 near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The circulation of this commemorative ruble was 2 thousand copies. The average cost of a silver ruble dedicated to the unveiling of the monument to Alexander 3 is today 7-12 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 22 thousand dollars.
Both monuments were subsequently destroyed, and their images remained only on commemorative rubles and medals.
The centenary of the victory over Napoleon became the most significant date during the reign of Nicholas 2. For this celebration, a silver jubilee ruble was issued, minted with postmarks by M. Skudnov with the inscription "Glorious year this has passed, but the deeds done in it will not pass."
The exact circulation of the issue is unknown, but in 1912 about 40 thousand coins were minted, in addition, the minting of a silver commemorative ruble dedicated to the centenary of the victory over Napoleon continued in 1913. The cost of this commemorative coin is on average $ 1-1.5 thousand, reaching in some cases up to $ 5 thousand.
In 1913, the 300th anniversary of the imperial house of the Romanovs was celebrated, in honor of which silver jubilee rubles were also minted and put into circulation. The circulation of the jubilee ruble of 1913 was so huge that today its auction price averages only $ 50-70 and very rarely reaches $ 300.
In honor of the 200th anniversary of the first naval victory of Russia at Gangut in 1714, a silver jubilee ruble, known today as the Gangut ruble, was issued. Also, in honor of this significant event, a military parade was supposed to take place, in which each of its participants would receive the anniversary Gangut ruble as a keepsake, but the First World War began and the parade did not take place. The Gangut ruble of 1914 became the last jubilee coin of tsarist Russia.
The stamp for the Gangut ruble was made by P. Stadnitsky. On one side of the Gangut ruble, a portrait of Peter the Great was minted, on the other there was a two-headed eagle holding four cards in its beaks and paws, which represented four Russian seas under Emperor Peter the Great - Azov, Baltic, White, Caspian, and under Emperor Nicholas II - Baltic, White , Black and Pacific Ocean.
Initially, the circulation of the Gangut ruble was 30 thousand copies. 6 coins were reserved for VIPs, including a coin prepared for transfer to the State Hermitage. There is also an assumption that several dozen more copies were set aside for gifts, and the rest of the coins were sent to the treasury of the mint. There, after lying for about a year, for a still unknown reason, the circulation was sent for melting.
In 1916, another 300 copies of the Gangut ruble were minted. 135 were transferred to various officials, the rest were sent to the mint reserve. Currently, the Gangut rubles appearing at auctions are either copies of 1916 minted, or Soviet remakes of 1927, minted by order of the Soviet Philatelic Association. Soviet remakes are very difficult to distinguish from the originals.
The cost of the Gangut ruble today can be 5-7 thousand dollars. However, there are copies that cost up to 42 thousand dollars.
How much money did the royal family have? Estimates vary: from such that the Romanovs were the richest people of their time to such that they had to save. In any case, I wonder where the money of the royal family went after the revolution.
Richest saint
In 2012, the American portal Celebrity Net Worth ranked the twenty-five richest people of the millennium. In this rating, Nicholas II was in fifth place in the general list. His fortune Celebrity Net Worth was estimated at $ 300 billion (in modern money). Since the royal family was canonized, Nicholas II is listed as “the richest saint” in the ranking.
Let's make a reservation right away that the American portal does not provide any documents confirming the capital of Nicholas II at $ 900 million (before recalculation). Therefore, let's check the numbers ourselves.
Search for compromising evidence
After the February Revolution, one of the first tasks of the Provisional Government was to discredit the royal family. It was necessary to tell the people about how free and luxurious the life of the tsar and his family was, what fabulous capital lay on their foreign accounts.
The first head of the Provisional Government, Prince Georgy Lvov, got down to business. Most of the Cabinet officials were loyal to the new government, so they didn't have to look for a long time. In 1920, during an interrogation in the case of the shooting of the royal family, which was led by Nikolai Sokolov, an investigator for especially important cases at the Omsk District Court, Prince Lvov recalled: “The question of the funds belonging to the Royal Family was also resolved. The family, of course, had to live on their own personal funds. The government was to bear only those expenses that were caused by its own activities at the address of the Family. Their personal funds have been sorted out. They turned out to be small.
In one of the foreign banks, counting all the funds of the Family, it turned out to be 14 million rubles. They had nothing else. "
In the book of the historian Igor Zimin “Tsar's money. Income and expenses of the Romanov family "the following alignment is given: on May 1, 1917, the royal family had: in interest-bearing securities - 12,110,600 rubles; on current accounts - 358,128 rubles 27 kopecks, in cash - 3,083 rubles. 42 kopecks. Total amount: 12,471,811 rubles 69 kopecks. At the dollar exchange rate of that time (1/11) - $ 1.13 million.
Anonymous reports
In August 1917, a book by an anonymous author, The Fall of the Romanovs, was published in Petrograd. The identity of the anonymous person has not been established, but it is obvious that he was close to the commissar of the Provisional Government Golovin, who was responsible for clarifying information about the capital of the royal family.
This book contains the following figures for the personal funds of the august family: Nicholas II - 908,000 rubles; Alexandra Fedorovna - 1,006,400 rubles; Tsarevich - 1,425,700 rubles; Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna - 3,185,500 rubles: Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaevna - 2,118,500 rubles; Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna - 1,854,430 rubles; Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna - 1,612,500 rubles. Total: 12 111 030 rubles.
As you can see, the royal family did not have any millions of dollars even according to these calculations, although the author of The Fall of the Romanovs also wrote about mysterious accounts in foreign banks. What are these bills?
Foreign bank accounts
Did the royal family have accounts in foreign banks? It is better to look for the answer to this question in the works of researchers, and not on American sites with dubious data sources.
The most serious study on this topic was conducted by the British historian and financier of the City William Clarke, author of the best-selling book Lost Treasures of Kings.
He found out that the family of Alexander III kept large sums in the Bank of England. Nikolai Alexandrovich, who ascended the throne in 1894, decided to close foreign accounts for an obvious reason: the country at that time was forced to resort to foreign borrowing, which created a rather absurd situation: the tsar gave money to the Russian Empire at a substantial percentage. At that time, closing an account and transferring funds was not an easy task, so the process took as long as six years.
The historian Oleg Budnitsky, who was looking for information about the tsar's accounts in foreign banks, found a folder in one of the English archives with the telling name "On the foreign property of the late emperor." It contained stories on this topic of persons who were directly related to the finances of the Russian Empire.
Prince Sergei Gagarin, who worked in the Ministry of the Court, said: “During the riots that were in Russia in 1905-1906, by order of the Minister of the Imperial Court, sums belonging to the august children of the Emperor were transferred abroad in the amount of, it seems, about 4-4.5 million rubles. These funds were formed by the accumulation of allotments released, according to the basic laws, for the maintenance of the children of the reigning emperor. This money was deposited in Mendelssohn's banking house in Berlin. "
Thus, Gagarin directly says that in 1905 Nicholas II transferred funds intended for children abroad.
One of the managers of the funds of the Russian emigration, attache in the United States, Hughet, wrote about the accounts in the German bank of Mendelssohn: “As far as I know, only the Mendelssohn in Berlin had small deposits in Russian interest-bearing securities made by the empress in the name of each of her children. If I am not mistaken, the face value of each of the deposits was 250,000 rubles. "
"Anastasia" and the commission
The issue of foreign accounts of Nicholas II was forced to be raised already in the 1920s, in connection with the appearance in Germany of the first "Anastasia", which started talking about the money allegedly owed to her.
The Russian emigration was agitated by this "resurrection". There were many former officials and close associates of the august family in Europe. In the end, it was decided to convene a commission and once and for all come to an agreement on a sensitive issue.
Such a commission was assembled on February 26, 1929. Her verdict was unambiguous: "The Emperor and his august family did not have any property abroad, except for the small capital of the sovereign's daughters, about one million marks each, in the Mendelssohn's bank in Berlin."
Former adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Boris Nolde stressed that in connection with the First World War, "these amounts were sequestered and then, unclaimed, probably suffered all the consequences of inflation and turned into nothing."
In March 1930, the minutes of this meeting were published in the Parisian newspaper Vozrozhdenie.
Heirs
In 1934, the court of the Central District of Berlin recognized the heirs of the tsarist money. They were the Grand Duchesses Xenia and Olga, Countess Brasova, and relatives of the deceased princesses through the line of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
As Boris Nolde said, inflation devalued deposits. The court issued official inheritance papers only four years after the determination of the heirs, in 1938. The amount turned out to be really ridiculous: less than 25 thousand pounds. Divided among all the heirs, these funds represented almost nothing. The Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna did not even take the share due to her.
We evaluate Tsar Nicholas II silver coins free of charge. Contact our specialists online, through the feedback form or come to our offices. We will be glad to communicate and cooperate!
The redemption of silver coins of Nicholas II 6 days a week is carried out in our Moscow club on the street. Yartsevskaya, st. metro Molodezhnaya. But to find out the cost of the silver coins of Nicholas II, you do not have to go to us - you can send a high-quality photo of the rarity from both sides by our specialists. To send a photo, you can use a special feedback form on this site, mobile messengers or social networks. A free appraisal of royal coins is made within a minute. And the resulting figure will undoubtedly please you.
Denominations of silver coins of Nicholas II:
- 1 ruble - minted from 900 silver with a circulation of just over 22 thousand, weight was 20 g, diameter - 33.65 mm,
- 50 kopecks - silver 900, 200 thousand pieces, 10 g, 26.75 mm,
- 25 kopecks - silver 900, 584 thousand pieces, 5 g, 23 mm,
- 20 kopecks - silver of 500 tests, edition unknown, 3.6 g, 22 mm,
- 15 kopecks - 500 standart, 12.6 million pieces, 2.7 g, 19.7 mm,
- 10 kopecks - 500 standart, 14 million pieces, 1.8 g, 17.5 mm,
- 5 kopecks - 500 assay value, 10 million pieces, 0.9 g, 15.1 mm.
As you can see, the mintage was impressive, so it would not be possible to sell the silver coins of Nicholas II, especially of a small denomination, for a large sum. But if you have a set of coins, yes, in good condition, then you can count on the benefits. Our employees will give the exact numbers and help sell 1 ruble of 1895 and other denominations. They will form the value of the silver coins of Nicholas II, even from a photo, in less than 1 minute.
Silver rubles of Nicholas II of 1897, 1899, 1904 are in demand today. If you inherited such coins, you can sell them as quickly as possible, especially if you decide to do it with the Aurora numismatic club. We will offer the best price, simple and transparent terms of the transaction, quick conclusion, instant payments, preservation of anonymity. The redemption of royal coins is made by us 6 days a week. All detailed contact information can be found in the header of the site. We look forward to your requests!
In an unstable economic situation around the world, many of us are looking for the most promising areas of investment. The exchange rate is constantly changing, which leads to significant financial losses.
One of the most stable remains the cost of gold, which only increases every year. Nicholas 2 is a reliable investment that, with the right approach, can provide excellent returns. It is more profitable and easy to make money trading coins than using zloty bars, so it is better to give preference to them.
Nicholas II reigned 1894-1917. During this period, a large number of gold coins were minted, made in different denominations and weights.
The cost of such a coin starts from the price of gold and can end in hundreds of thousands of dollars for the rarest examples. This is due to the fact that the period of the monarch's reign consists of many mysterious facts, they are part of a great empire.
An interesting point is that initially the weight of coins made of valuable metals was quite large. But after a certain time, it became necessary to reduce their weight in order to replenish the state treasury.
It is for this reason that the 5 rubles coin was immediately minted in a lighter weight. Although imperials and semi-imperials were not minted for a long time in a lower weight, the maximum weight reduction was up to 8.6 grams (previously - 12.9 grams). The main period of production of semi-imperials and imperials fell on 1895 - 1897.
Also, in the period before 1894, coins of five rubles were minted in normal weight, and only after 1897 lighter copies appeared in everyday life. It is such coins that novice numismatists often confuse with imperials, but this is a very serious mistake.
At the moment, such coins are sold a little more expensive than gold, with a coin diameter of 18.5 mm and a weight of 4.30 g. 900 gold was used for these coins.
On sale now you can find both the usual denominations (5.10) and "strange" (7.5; 15 rubles) of the era of the reign of Nicholas 2. The volumes of their circulation are simply huge, so the price of such coins is quite low.
Investing in coins of this denomination is not justified and it is better not to spend personal money on them, since the profit from the sale will be a small amount.
Nicholas II coins worth investing in
At the moment, the most valuable coins on the market are old-style coins of 5 and 10 rubles. This is due to the small volume of circulation per year.
Among the main numismatic rarities are coins of 5, 10 rubles in 1906, which were minted in only a few copies.
Gift coins of 1896, especially those issued in honor of the coronation of the king, are an expensive and valuable purchase. Such coins are very rarely found on sale, since numismatists keep them and are often inherited.
If you get your hands on coins of 5 or 10 rubles in 1906, then it is quite possible to get 15-200 thousand dollars per copy for their sale.
The volume of their circulation this year amounted to only 10 pieces of each denomination. Most often, the sale of such coins is carried out at the most famous auctions, where there is a fierce struggle for them.
Much confusion occurs with the 10-ruble coin of 1906-1911, since they often try to counterfeit them. Before buying, you should study the official documents, which indicate the circulation of the issue of these coins.
This will allow you not to make the wrong choice and get a really valuable coin from the era of the last Emperor.
Proven ways to minimize losses in working with collectible Nikolaev coins
Remember that earning money on coins requires deep knowledge of the history of the Russian Empire, especially the era of the reign of Nicholas II, if you decide to buy coins of this time!
You should research the coins that you can earn the best from selling. Investments in gold coins of 5 and 10 rubles in 1906, as well as in 1894 are the most promising areas, since the cost of one copy can reach several hundred thousand dollars.
The value of rare collectible coins is much higher than the current prices for gold, so it is important to carefully approach the selection process.
Trading in such coins is the most promising, but requires a good knowledge of the era and a large enough amount of money to buy your first coins.
This option is not suitable for beginners, since in this area there is a very high risk of deception and sale of a fake to people without experience.
Taking the risk of investing free funds in gold coins of the era of the reign of Nicholas II, be sure to check each copy for quality.
It is important - the presence of pure gold of the highest standard, the absence of mechanical damage. For this purpose, it is best to take a third party who will not be interested in the results of the upcoming transaction.
By inviting an expert, you will have the opportunity to find out about the original origin of the coin and its correspondence to copies of that time.
It is also important to consider where the purchased gold coins will be stored. Here are the most reliable ways to store valuables:
- safe deposit box;
- safe;
- at home or in the office (if you plan to make a sale in the near future).
Nuances that a novice numismatist should not forget about when selling or buying coins of Nicholas 2
In order to profitably buy coins from the era of Nicholas II, you should know exactly where to look for them.
The probability of buying an original copy is maximum at specialized auctions, where you can find even the rarest things and coins.
Auctions are now held in rented or private premises, as well as on the Internet. To become a participant in such an event, you will need to register in advance and pay the fee, which is provided for almost all known auctions.
You can also buy coins from dealers, which is more dangerous.
Before making a transaction, you should make sure that you have certificates confirming the original origin of the coin and the carving of pure gold of the declared sample.
But keep in mind that not only the Nikolaev coins themselves are often counterfeited, but also certificates! That is why you should carefully approach the choice of a dealer, giving preference to trusted specialists.
The simplest and cheapest option is to buy valuable coins from your relatives or friends who are not directly related to numismatics. This is a real opportunity to become the owner of a valuable and rare coin for a small amount.
In addition to finding a reliable seller, you should also regularly monitor changes in gold prices. You can find up-to-date information on any of the specialized sites on the Internet, as well as in the bank of your city.
In parallel with this, monitor the changes in the dollar exchange rate, since these surges also affect the value of gold and coins from precious metals. Every numismatist must have this information in order to sell or buy coins of the era of Nicholas II at the most appropriate time.
The best time to sell Nikolaev gold coins
Remember that the value of a collectible coin depends on many factors:
- condition of the coin, absence of mechanical damage;
- weight;
- face value and volume of circulation;
- demand.
Upon learning that gold prices are falling, you should immediately sell coins, otherwise you risk bargaining! Changes in the market do not affect the value of rare coins, the demand for which is stable and high.
An important point: always check if the coin is solid gold or simply plated with it! Remember that even a rare ten rubles from the era of Nicholas II will not be highly appreciated if it is just a gilded coin!
You can distinguish pure gold from gilding by its appearance, weight and with the help of a qualified specialist. It is best for novice numismatists to use the services of experienced experts for the first time in order to avoid disappointment and big financial losses!
Numismatics of tsarist Russia ceased to exist with the 1917 revolution. The political system fell, Emperor Nicholas II and his family were shot, and for a long time the country was in complete ruin.
However, before the last coin of the Russian Empire was minted with a stamp with the profile of Nicholas 2, many interesting and rather strange events took place in the world of numismatics, the consequences of which became the subject of close attention of collectors. Nicholas imperials, semi-imperials, the famous dozens of gold, the last tsarist ducat, commemorative and jubilee silver rubles, as well as incredible numismatic nonsenses that appeared during the reign of the last Russian tsar - specifically about coins of Nicholas II today we will speak.
Silver coins of Nicholas II
Returning the Emperor's profile to coins
Starting from Peter the Great (1700-1725), in tsarist Russia there was a tradition of minting the profile of an emperor or empress on silver and gold coins of large denominations (Polupoltina, Poltina, Ruble, etc.). This tradition existed for quite a long time, right up to Paul I (1796-1801). The last coins with the profile of the Empress were minted in 1796. After the death of Empress Catherine II in 1796, Paul I ascended the throne, whose appearance no one liked, including himself. After Paul I did not approve the trial ruble with his profile, the tradition of minting portrait coins ceased for a whole century. Only occasionally, on commemorative coins, issued in small editions, there was a profile of Alexander 1, Alexander 2 and Nicholas 1.
During the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894), portraits of the emperor began to appear on regular coins. This happened for the first time in 1886. Then the portraits of Alexander 3 were minted on silver coins of large denomination, starting at 25 kopecks. The portraits were not applied to coins of lesser denomination, since it was believed that they were used by the "rabble". The portrait of the tsar should not be in servile pockets and fall into callous dirty hands.
Nicholas II finally revived the tradition of minting portrait coins of large denominations, starting with the coronation ruble. All gold and silver coins of Nicholas II, starting from 25 kopecks they became portrait ones.
Jubilee and commemorative coins of Nicholas II
During the reign of Nicholas II, several silver commemorative and commemorative coins were issued, which went down in the history of numismatics. Among them, a memorable coronation ruble 1896.
The portrait for the coronation ruble was made by the artist Anton Vasyutinsky, who happened to create portraits of the last tsar, and after the revolution, portraits of Lenin for Soviet coins and medals.
The circulation of the silver coronation ruble was 190 thousand copies, minted by May 1896 and were presented to all participants in the coronation. They were carefully kept and passed on as a memory from generation to generation. Therefore, quite a lot of coronation rubles have survived to this day in perfect condition. In this connection, cost of the coronation ruble of Nicholas 2 today it is only no more than 400-500 dollars, although in some cases, for example, if a coin is in perfect condition, its price reaches 2 thousand dollars.
Also stands out from the total mass commemorative ruble of 1898 from silver for the opening of the monument to Alexander 2 in Moscow in 1893. The circulation of the coin was 5 thousand copies, repeating the small medal by A. Grichilis the Younger, who carved large and small medals with a portrait of Alexander 3 on the obverse, and on the reverse side - a statue of Alexander 2, installed in the new pavilion of the Kremlin memorial. The cost of the commemorative ruble of 1898 today it is 3-4 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 12 thousand dollars.
In 1912 it was struck and put into circulation commemorative silver ruble and several medals in honor of the opening of a large monument to Alexander 3 near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The circulation of this commemorative ruble was 2 thousand copies. Average cost of a silver ruble dedicated to the opening of the monument to Alexander 3, is today 7-12 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 22 thousand dollars.
Both monuments were subsequently destroyed, and their images remained only on commemorative rubles and medals.
The centenary of the victory over Napoleon became the most significant date during the reign of Nicholas 2. For this celebration was released silver jubilee ruble, minted by postmarks by M. Skudnov with the inscription "Glorious year this has passed, but the deeds done in it will not pass."
The exact circulation of the issue is unknown, but in 1912 about 40 thousand coins were minted, in addition, the minting of a silver commemorative ruble dedicated to the centenary of the victory over Napoleon continued in 1913. Price this commemorative coin the average is 1-1.5 thousand dollars, reaching in some cases up to 5 thousand dollars.
In 1913, the 300th anniversary of the imperial house of the Romanovs was celebrated, in honor of which the silver jubilee rubles... The circulation of the jubilee ruble of 1913 was so huge that today its auction price averages only $ 50-70 and very rarely reaches $ 300.
In honor of the 200th anniversary of the first naval victory of Russia at Gangut in 1714, a silver jubilee ruble was issued, known today as Gangut ruble... Also, in honor of this significant event, a military parade was supposed to take place, in which each of its participants would receive the anniversary Gangut ruble as a keepsake, but the First World War began and the parade did not take place. The Gangut ruble of 1914 became the last jubilee coin of tsarist Russia.
The stamp for the Gangut ruble was made by P. Stadnitsky. On one side of the Gangut ruble, a portrait of Peter the Great was minted, on the other there was a two-headed eagle holding four cards in its beaks and paws, which represented four Russian seas under Emperor Peter the Great - Azov, Baltic, White, Caspian, and under Emperor Nicholas II - Baltic, White , Black and Pacific Ocean.
Initially, the circulation of the Gangut ruble was 30 thousand copies. 6 coins were reserved for VIPs, including a coin prepared for transfer to the State Hermitage. There is also an assumption that several dozen more copies were set aside for gifts, and the rest of the coins were sent to the treasury of the mint. There, after lying for about a year, for a still unknown reason, the circulation was sent for melting.
In 1916, another 300 copies of the Gangut ruble were minted. 135 were transferred to various officials, the rest were sent to the mint reserve. Currently Gangut rubles appearing at auctions are either copies of 1916 minted, or Soviet remakes of 1927, minted by order of the Soviet Philatelic Association. Soviet remakes are very difficult to distinguish from the originals.
The cost of the Gangut ruble today it can be 5-7 thousand dollars. However, there are copies that cost up to 42 thousand dollars.
Gold coins of Nicholas II
Rus, imperials and semi-imperials
The weight of a gold coin with a denomination of 10 rubles before Nicholas II was 12.9 grams. After the Nikolaev monetary reform, the weight of a gold coin with a denomination of 10 rubles was reduced by one and a half times and amounted to 8.6 grams. Reducing the weight of precious metals or fineness is common practice during monetary reforms. This allows you to receive additional income for the state treasury.
It was in those years that an attempt was made to change the name of the national currency of the Russian Empire. Instead of the name "ruble", it was planned to introduce the name " rus". In preparation for the reform, test coins were minted in denominations of 5, 10 and 15 rus. A total of five trial sets of three coins. However, Nicholas 2 did not approve the Rus, and therefore, the circulation was not minted. Today the Rus are extremely rare coins.
Of the five minted trial sets of Rus, three sets are in museums, one set is divided into parts, and only one private collection contains a complete set of Rus, consisting of three coins. At one of the American numismatic auctions held several years ago, a complete set of Rus was sold for 200 thousand dollars. Today such a kit can cost even more, in the region of 350 - 500 thousand dollars.
During the Nikolaev monetary reform, in 1895-1897, gold coins of various weights were minted. For example, in the new lightweight "Nikolaev" weight, gold 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks were minted, in the old, "Alexander" weight, gold imperials(10 rubles in gold) and semi-imperials(5 rubles in gold).
Often, novice numismatists call ordinary Nikolaev coins with a denomination of 10 rubles imperials, however, on the true imperial there is a corresponding inscription - "Imperial". Real imperials were minted for three years, from 1895 to 1897, with an annual circulation of 125 imperials. In fact, in numismatic circles, this is not so little, but for some unknown reason these coins disappear somewhere, since they appear very rarely at numismatic auctions. Today value of imperials fluctuates in the region of 45-50 thousand dollars, and sometimes reaches 250 thousand dollars. To a large extent, such a range of prices can be explained by the dependence of the value of the coin on its condition. UNC coins are much more valuable.
Semi-imperials also produced for three years, from 1895 to 1897. However, their circulation was much smaller and amounted to 36 copies annually. Semi-imperials are found in collection circulation even less often than imperials, but, as a rule, at the same price as imperials. Human psychology is to blame here, and collectors are no exception - a larger coin should cost more.
Unusual coin 7 rubles 50 kopecks
In 1897, coins of a very unusual denomination for tsarist Russia - 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks... At the same time, the weight of the 15-ruble coin of 1897 was equal to the weight of the old "Aleksandrovskaya" coin with a denomination of 10 rubles. The circulation of 15 rubles in 1897 was 12 million copies, and the coins of 7 rubles 50 kopecks in 1897 were almost 17 million copies.
Price These coins are small today - 15 rubles are estimated at around $ 400, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks - around $ 300. But there were cases when 15 rubles in 1897 were sold at auction for 2500 dollars, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks in 1897 for 900 dollars and even more expensive. Again, it all depends on the condition of the coin.
Rare coins of Nicholas II
Among the rare coins of Nicholas 2 stand out 10 rubles 1906, the circulation of which, according to official documents, was only 10 copies. Of course, this coin is rare and expensive, its auction price could be 15-20 thousand dollars, and at one of the auctions of the Russian Numismatic House a copy of this coin in PROOF condition was sold for 200 thousand dollars.
Of undoubted interest are gold donative (gift) coins with a denomination of 25 rubles - 2.5 imperials of 1896 and 1908. These coins were minted for the personal gift fund of Nicholas 2. The dates of their minting suggest that 25 rubles in 1896 were minted specifically for the coronation, and 25 rubles in 1908 - for the 40th anniversary of Nicholas 2. Donative coins resembled the popular ones in size. years French gold coin in denomination of 100 francs.
The weight of a gold coin with a denomination of 25 rubles is 32.26 grams, which is equal to the weight of gold in two and a half tens of the "Alexander" sample. For 25 rubles in 1896, this weight is quite normal, then there was a reform, but for 25 rubles in 1908, this weight is already a little strange. Donative Coin Price can reach 120-170 thousand dollars.
Following donative (gift) coins, a completely unusual, unparalleled, gold coin in denomination can be distinguished 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs 1902. According to some assumptions, in this way, Nicholas II wanted to commemorate the Franco-Russian alliance, but another part of numismatists is more inclined to believe that 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs were intended for use in the casino system.
This coin should be taken as nonsense of the Russian monetary system, and not as a coin for circulation. Today the coin 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs of 1902 is very rare, expensive and popular not only because of its rarity, but also because of its beauty. Auction price this coin can range from 40 to 150 thousand dollars.
The last tsar's gold ducat of Nicholas II
The last royal gold Nikolay's chervonets 2(a coin with a face value of 10 rubles) was minted and put into circulation in 1911. Ten-ruble coins in tsarist Russia were minted in huge numbers almost every year, and, it seems, should not be of particular interest to numismatists.
However, as practice shows, the official statistics of the circulation of the issue in the documents of the mint reflects the number of copies released from the mint, and not the number of minted ones. Thus, the circulation indicated in the catalog may not correspond to the number of coins that were first in circulation, and then ended up in collection circulation.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the numbers indicated in the catalogs reflect the truth - how many coins were minted, so many coins were put into circulation. But in such a situation, as indeed in any other, there are exceptions. There are coins with a huge circulation in the catalog, but they are not found in circulation, and vice versa. This situation can be explained by the fact that coins were issued from mints that had been minted earlier, but were not in demand and, as a result, ended up in the warehouse and lay there for a year or even several years.
The last year, 1911, of the minting of royal gold coins presented collectors with a large number of mysteries. Gold coins of this year of issue are very common, while the circulation indicated in the documents is very small. As a result, collectors buy the last royal gold Nikolay's chervonets 2(symbol of the 20th century) at the price of the gold used to issue this coin.
The fact is that there are a large number of remakes and forgeries of the last Tsarist gold piece of Nicholas 2 of the 1911 model. There are several legends among numismatists regarding their origin, but no serious research has been carried out regarding the origin of replicas and forgeries of 1911. Such studies are carried out in cases when it comes to fairly rare and expensive coins, to which the coin 10 rubles 1911 not applicable. Therefore, practically worthless Nikolaev ten is shrouded in a continuous veil of secrecy.
The stamps on the obverse and reverse sides of the 10 ruble coin of 1911 were unambiguously taken out by someone from the mint. But who did it and when? There are three possible answers to this question:
1. The original stamps got to Kolchak, who massively minted the gold pieces of Nicholas 2 of the 1911 model.
2. The stamps fell into the hands of the Soviet government, which in 1925-1927 issued 2 million gold tens for foreign trade, since the West refused to accept Soviet money.
3. Stamps may have been exported abroad, or new ones were made, and dozens of gold were minted in the 1920s. However, it should be noted that these were no longer remakes, but fake coins. But all the same, gold in the coins of tsarist Russia always costs more than ordinary gold bullion, therefore it is more profitable to sell it.
It should also be added here that the stamps of 1911 are still being used by someone to mint the gold pieces of Nicholas II. But who does this is unknown. Chasing from the "left" gold of the tsar's dozens is a very profitable business. Experts to this day meet with similar coins. Of course, they can distinguish them from genuine ones, but it is worth noting that the weight and purity of the gold sample are observed by fraudsters very precisely, as a result of which the coins are of very high quality.
Today coin value 10 rubles 1911 is 600-800 dollars, sometimes less, sometimes more. It all depends on the state of a particular instance.
Test coins of Nicholas II
To reduce the cost of coin production, in 1911 the tsarist government planned to carry out a monetary reform and replace the silver bargaining chip with a copper-nickel one. Even trial copper-nickel coins were minted in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 25 kopecks. However, the reform did not take place. However, today these coins are sometimes found at numismatic auctions.
During the First World War, in 1916, tsarist Russia experienced an acute shortage of copper. To reduce the deficit of this non-ferrous metal, an attempt was made to carry out another monetary reform, which, however, did not take place. In the course of the reform, it was planned to reduce the weight of copper bargaining chips in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks, and the resulting copper to be sent to the needs of the army and navy. Samples were minted, which today are very rare. However, things did not go further, the revolution that took place in the country did not allow the government to carry out this reform.
At one of the numismatic auctions of the "Coins and Medals" company a few years ago, a lot of 6 copper coins of 1916 was presented, which was then estimated at 20-22 thousand dollars. Today auction price each copy of these trial coins is 7-10 thousand dollars, and in some cases, when a particular copy is in perfect condition, it can reach 40 thousand dollars.
There was one more, the so-called "reform" in the early 30s of the last century. Then the tsarist silver half-rubles and rubles with an octagonal stamp began to appear right on the portrait of Nicholas II - "The Deposition of the House of Romanovs." These countermarks were engraved on genuine coins in a privately barbaric manner and, oddly enough, gained some popularity at auctions. At one of the auctions held in Germany a few years ago, where a coin with the barbaric hallmark "The Deposition of the House of Romanovs" was exhibited, he showed that its value could reach 2,500 German marks (approximately 1,250 euros).
Conclusion
Of course, not all coins of Nicholas II got into this review. I stopped only at the most significant and important specimens from my point of view. If you start to describe all the coins of that time, then it can take a whole year. And so the review turned out to be quite large. And the period of the reign of the last Russian emperor has not yet been well studied, so most of the discoveries have yet to be made. And I, some other time, will definitely come back to the coins of Nicholas II.