home > Different games > I will buy coins from the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. Military history, weapons, old and military maps. Types of coins issued under Nicholas II

I will buy coins from the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. Military history, weapons, old and military maps. Types of coins issued under Nicholas II

Numismatics in Tsarist Russia ceased to exist with the revolution of 1917. The political system fell, Emperor Nicholas 2 and his family were shot, and real devastation reigned in the country for a long time.

However, before the last coin was minted with the stamp with the profile of Nicholas 2 Russian Empire, many interesting and rather strange events occurred in the world of numismatics, the consequences of which became the subject of close attention of collectors. Nicholas imperials, semi-imperials, famous gold tens, the last tsar's chervonets, commemorative and anniversary silver rubles, as well as incredible numismatic nonsense that appeared during the reign of the last Russian tsar - exactly about coins of Nicholas 2 Today we will talk.

Silver coins of Nicholas 2

Returning the Emperor's Profile to Coins

Starting with Peter the Great (1700-1725), in Tsarist Russia there was a tradition of minting the profile of the 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). Latest coins with the profile of the Empress were minted in 1796. After the death of Empress Catherine 2 in 1796, Paul I ascended the throne, whose appearance no one liked, including himself. After Paul I did not approve a test ruble with his profile, the tradition of minting portrait coins ceased for a whole century. Only sometimes on commemorative coins issued in small editions did the profile of Alexander 1, Alexander 2 and Nicholas 1 appear.

During the reign of Alexander 3 (1881-1894), portraits of the emperor began to appear again on regularly minted coins. This happened for the first time in 1886. Then portraits of Alexander 3 were minted on large denomination silver coins, starting from 25 kopecks. Portraits were not applied to coins of lower denominations, since it was believed that they were used by the “rabble”. The portrait of the king should not be in servile pockets and fall into callous, dirty hands.

Nicholas 2 finally revived the tradition of minting portrait coins of large denominations, starting with the coronation ruble. All gold and silver coins of Nicholas 2, starting from 25 kopecks they became portrait ones.

Anniversary and commemorative coins of Nicholas 2

During the reign of Nicholas 2, several silver jubilee and commemorative coins were issued, which went down in the history of numismatics. Among them, one can particularly highlight the memorable coronation ruble 1896.

The portrait for the coronation ruble was made by the artist Anton Vasyutinsky, who had the opportunity 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 awarded to all coronation participants. They were kept carefully 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 connection with this, 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 the coin is in perfect condition, its price reaches up to 2 thousand dollars.

Also stands out from the total mass commemorative ruble 1898 made of 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 made by A. Grhilis Jr., who cut out large and small medals with a portrait of Alexander 3 on the front side, and on reverse sides f – the 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.

It was minted and put into circulation in 1912. silver commemorative 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 silver ruble value, dedicated to the opening of the monument to Alexander 3, today amounts to 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 has become the most significant date during the reign of Nicholas 2. For this celebration was released silver anniversary ruble, minted with stamps by M. Skudnov with the inscription “This glorious year has passed, but the deeds accomplished in it will not pass away.”

The exact mintage 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 on 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 Romanov was celebrated, in honor of which they were also minted and put into circulation. silver anniversary rubles. The circulation of the 1913 anniversary ruble was so huge that today its auction price averages only 50-70 dollars and very rarely reaches 300 dollars.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of Russia's first naval victory 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, at which each participant would receive an anniversary Gangut ruble as a souvenir, but the first World War and the parade did not take place. The Gangut ruble of 1914 became the last anniversary coin of Tsarist Russia.

The stamps for the Gangut ruble were made by P. Stadnitsky. On one side of the Gangut ruble there is a portrait of Peter the Great minted, on the other there is a double-headed eagle holding in its beaks and paws four cards, which under Emperor Peter the Great represented the four Russian seas - the Azov, Baltic, White, Caspian, and under Emperor Nicholas II - the Baltic and White , Black and Pacific Ocean.

Initially, the circulation of the Gangut ruble was 30 thousand copies. 6 coins were reserved for especially important persons, 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 remaining coins were sent to the treasury mint. After lying there for about a year, for a still unknown reason, the circulation was sent for melting down.

In 1916, another 300 copies of the Gangut ruble were minted. 135 were handed over to various officials, the rest were sent to the mint reserve. Currently Gangut rubles, appearing at auctions, are either copies of 1916 minting, or Soviet remakes of 1927, minted by order of the Soviet Philatelic Association. Soviet remakes are very difficult to distinguish from the originals.

Gangut ruble value today it can be 5-7 thousand dollars. However, there are copies that cost up to 42 thousand dollars.

Gold coins of Nicholas 2

Rus, imperials and semi-imperials

The weight of a gold coin with a face value of 10 rubles before Nicholas 2 was 12.9 grams. After the Nikolaev monetary reform, the weight of a gold coin with a face value 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 a common practice during monetary reforms. This allows you to receive additional income to 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 russ. There are five trial sets of three coins in total. However, Nicholas 2 did not approve the Rus, and therefore the circulation was not minted. Today, Rus are extremely rare coins.

Of the five minted test sets of russ, three sets are in museums, one set is broken into pieces, and only one private collection has a complete set of russ 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, around 350 – 500 thousand dollars.

During the Nikolaev monetary reform, in 1895-1897, gold coins of different weights were minted. For example, in the new lightweight “Nikolaev” weight, gold 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks were minted, in the old, “Alexandrovsky” weight, gold ones were minted imperials(10 rubles in gold) and half-imperials(5 rubles in gold).

Often, novice numismatists call ordinary Nikolaev coins with a face value of 10 rubles imperials, but 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 cost of imperials fluctuates around 45 - 50 thousand dollars, and sometimes reaches 250 thousand dollars. In many ways, this price range can be explained by the dependence of the coin’s value on its condition. Coins in UNC condition are much more valuable.

Semi-imperials also issued 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 frequently than imperials, but, as a rule, at the same price as imperials. Human psychology is to blame here, and collectors are no exception, - big coin should cost more.

Unusual coin 7 rubles 50 kopecks

In 1897, coins of a very unusual denomination for Tsarist Russia were minted and put into circulation - 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks. Moreover, the weight of the 15 ruble coin of 1897 was equal to the weight of the old “Alexandrovsky” coin with a face value 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 valued at around $400, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks are valued at around $300. But there were cases when 15 rubles of 1897 were sold at auction for $2,500, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks of 1897 for $900 or even more. Again, it all depends on the condition of the coin.

Rare coins of Nicholas 2

Among the rare coins of Nicholas 2, the following 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 can 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 face value 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 of 1896 were minted specifically for the coronation, and 25 rubles of 1908 for the 40th anniversary of Nicholas 2. In their size, donation coins resembled the popular one in those days. years, a French gold coin with a face value of 100 francs.

The weight of a gold coin with a face value of 25 rubles is 32.26 grams, which is equal to the weight of gold in two and a half tens of the “Alexandrovsky” sample. For 25 rubles of 1896, this weight is quite normal, then there was a reform, but for 25 rubles of 1908 this weight is already a little strange. Price of donated coins can reach 120-170 thousand dollars.

Following donated (gift) coins, we can distinguish a completely unusual, unparalleled gold coin face value 37 rubles 50 kopecks – 100 francs 1902. According to some assumptions, in this way Nicholas 2 wanted to commemorate the Franco-Russian union, but other part of numismatists are more inclined to believe that 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs were intended for use in the casino system.

This coin should be perceived as nonsense of the Russian monetary system, and not as a coin for circulation. Today, the coin 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs 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 royal gold piece of Nicholas II

The last royal gold Nicholas 2 chervonets(10 ruble coin) was minted and put into circulation in 1911. Ten-ruble coins in Tsarist Russia were minted in huge quantities almost every year, and, it seems, should not be of particular interest to numismatists.

However, as practice shows, official statistics on issue circulations in mint documents reflect the number of copies released from the mint, and not the number minted. Thus, the circulation indicated in the catalog may not correspond to the number of coins that were first in circulation and then entered into collectible circulation.

In the vast majority of cases, the numbers indicated in the catalogs reflect the truth - how many coins are minted, how many coins are put into circulation. But in such a situation, as in any other, there are exceptions. There are coins whose circulation according to the catalog was huge, but they are not found in circulation, and vice versa. This situation can be explained by the fact that mints issued coins that were minted earlier, but were not in demand, and as a result ended up in a warehouse and lay there for a year or even several years.

The last year of minting of royal gold coins, 1911, presented collectors with a large number of mysteries. Gold coins from this year of issue are very common, while the mintage indicated in the documents is very small. As a result, collectors are buying the last royal gold Nicholas 2 chervonets(symbol of the 20th century) at the price of gold spent on the issue of this coin.

The fact is that there are a large number of remakes and fakes of the last Tsar's golden chervonets of Nicholas II, model 1911. There are several legends among numismatists regarding their origin, but no serious research has been carried out regarding the origin of remakes and fakes of 1911. Such research is carried out in cases where we are talking about fairly rare and expensive coins, to which the coin 10 rubles 1911 not applicable. Therefore, the practically worthless Nikolaev ten is shrouded in a complete veil of secrecy.

The stamps on the obverse and reverse sides of the 10 ruble coin of 1911 were clearly taken by someone from the mint. But who did it and when? There are three possible answers to this question:

1. The original stamps went to Kolchak, who massively minted gold chervonets of Nicholas II 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. The stamps may have been taken abroad, or new ones were made, and the gold tens were minted in the 20s. However, it is worth noting that these were no longer remakes, but counterfeit coins. But still, gold in the coins of Tsarist Russia is always more expensive than ordinary gold bullion, and therefore it is more profitable to sell it.

It is also necessary to add here that someone still uses stamps from 1911 to mint Nicholas II’s gold chervonets. But who is doing this is unknown. Minting royal tens from “left” gold is a very profitable business. Experts still encounter similar coins to this day. Of course, they can distinguish them from genuine ones, but it is worth noting that the weight and purity of gold are observed very precisely by scammers, 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 condition of the particular instance.

Trial coins of Nicholas 2

To reduce the cost of coin production, in 1911 the tsarist government planned to carry out monetary reform and replace the silver coin with a copper-nickel one. Test copper-nickel coins in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 25 kopecks were even minted. However, the reform did not take place. However, today these coins are sometimes found at numismatic auctions.

At one of the numismatic auctions of the Coins and Medals company several years ago, a lot of 6 copper coins 1916, then valued at 20-22 thousand dollars. Today's auction price each copy of these proof coins is 7-10 thousand dollars, and in some cases, when a particular example is in perfect condition, can reach 40 thousand dollars.

There was another, so-called “reform” in the early 30s of the last century. Then tsarist silver half rubles and rubles with an octagonal mark began to appear directly on the portrait of Nicholas 2 - “The Deposition of the House of Romanov.” These countermarks were stamped on genuine coins in a private, barbaric manner and, oddly enough, gained some popularity at auction. At one of the auctions held in Germany several years ago, where a coin with the barbaric mark “Dethronement of the House of Romanov” was exhibited, it was shown that its value could reach 2,500 German marks (approximately 1,250 euros).

Conclusion

Of course, not all coins of Nicholas 2 included in this review. I focused only on the most significant and important specimens from my point of view. If you start describing all the coins of that time, it could 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 very well studied, so most discoveries have yet to be made. And some other time I will definitely return to the coins of Nicholas 2.

Both in Soviet times and now they write a lot about the “rottenness” and “bloodiness” of the autocracy, a lot. It was so backward and bloody that it was just a nightmare! And no one cares that under the Bolsheviks, 150 times more Russians were executed than under the last king. Well, Nicholas II, indeed, was not an ideal ruler and made many mistakes, but let's look at some facts. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Empire achieved truly outstanding success in its development. Industry and Agriculture, and only under Nicholas II the Russian ruble was recognized by the whole world as hard currency. You can scour the Internet and libraries, spend many hours, but you still won’t find another historical period when the Russian ruble was freely and so willingly accepted abroad.

Nicholas II and General Brusilov in 1915

Prices under the last Emperor Nicholas II:
A loaf of fresh rye bread (450 grams) – 2-4 kopecks,
Old harvest potatoes (1 kg) - 5 kopecks,
Rye flour (1 kg) - 6 kopecks,
Bucket of tomatoes - 8 kopecks,
Granulated sugar (1 kg) – 20-25 kopecks,
Fresh milk (1 liter) – 5-10 kopecks,
Egg (ten) - 10-25 kopecks,
Pork meat (1 kg) – 25-30 kopecks,
Sturgeon (1kg) – 80 kopecks.

The average worker's salary in Russia under the Tsar was 37.5 rubles. Let's multiply this amount by 1282.29 (the ratio of the exchange rate of the Tsar's ruble to the modern one) and get an amount of 48,085 thousand rubles in modern terms. During the monetary reform, which was carried out by the government of Nicholas II in 1897-1899 under the leadership of S. Witte, the gold ruble was introduced into circulation. It contained about 0.77 grams of pure gold. At the beginning of the 20th century, the royal gold ruble was a very significant monetary unit on the world market. If we compare the ratios of currencies of that time, the tsarist ruble contained approximately twice as much gold as the mark and franc, was comparable to the English pound, and was only twice “lighter” in relation to the American dollar. And they accepted the autocratic ruble throughout Europe with great joy. Even Russian banknotes could be exchanged without any problems in any bank in Berlin, Vienna, Rome or Paris, and as for “Ryzhikov” (gold Nikolaev coins of 5 and 10 rubles), they were taken in small shops, and even without exchange for local money , and even 2-3 times higher than the official exchange rate - 1 gold ruble at the beginning of the 20th century. was equal to 2.667 French. francs

The same famous royal gold chervonets, colloquially “saffron milk cap”

The basis for the strength of the financial system of the Russian Empire under Nicholas II was:
1. Increase in gold mining in the Urals and Siberia. The record figure was reached in 1914 - 66,521.7 kg;
2. A sharp increase in exports - agricultural products (grain, oil, meat, honey, dairy products, etc.); petroleum products (kerosene and lubricating oils); etc.
3. The introduction of a state monopoly on vodka and tobacco, and a significant increase in prices and taxes (excise taxes) on them. By 1914, the excise tax on vodka amounted to 1 billion gold. rub. from the entire state budget of the empire of 3.5 billion;
4. Rapid pace of industrialization - between 1890 and 1913. Russian industry quadrupled its productivity. Its income not only almost equaled the income received from agriculture, but goods covered almost 4/5 of the domestic demand for manufactured goods. Over the last four years before the First World War, the number of newly founded joint-stock companies increased by 132%, and the capital invested in them almost quadrupled. In 1900 Russia ranked 4th in the world in terms of global industrial production, its share was 9%. The high rates of development of the Russian economy were comparable only to the rates of development of the United States. In 1913, one of the largest economists in the world, Edmond Théry, on instructions from the French government, studied the state of the Russian economy and concluded: “If the affairs of European nations from 1912 to 1950 go the same way as they went from 1900 to 1912, Russia by the middle of this century will dominate Europe, both politically and economically and financially.”
Over the period 1900-1913, state income doubled (from 1,736,700,000 to 3,431,200,000 rubles) while expenses increased only 1.8 times, which made it possible to achieve a sustainable budget surplus. At the beginning of the First World War, the state gold reserves of the Russian Empire were the largest in the world. And best of all, the effectiveness of the Russian government and the growth of the well-being of the people was shown by the rapid increase in population: from 1897 to 1914, that is, in just 17 years, the growth amounted to 50.5 million people! If such population growth rates continued, then by 2000. approximately 425 million people would live in Russia.

In 1917, the ruble was cursed... The liberals who overthrew the tsar were replaced by the Bolsheviks, the Bolsheviks reformed into communists, then the liberals came again, but none of them were able to make the ruble respected in the world and a freely convertible currency. Maybe we can do some magic - call the tsarist finance ministers Witte and Kokovtsov from the other world, ask them how to make the ruble a stable and respected currency in the world? Somehow they managed without oil and gas income... And a penny under the tsars was Money!

Dear people, Professionals with a capital P:
Sergei Yulievich Witte - from 1892 to 1903. Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire

Vladimir Nikolaevich Kokovtsov - from 1904 to 1914. Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire

Sources:
What could you buy with a penny under the Tsar?

Photo:

There is no unambiguous assessment of the reign of Nicholas II. History claims that he launched the process of transforming the country into an agrarian-industrial constitutional monarchy, increased the production power of the state, carried out the necessary socio-economic reforms, and achieved economic growth in Russia. But the First World War and the subsequent revolution made adjustments to the future of the great state and the last tsar... Be that as it may, for numismatists Nicholas II will remain, first of all, the man who established the gold standard of the ruble and gave the world of coin collecting unique specimens minted with stamps with his own profile.

Gold circulation coins of Nicholas II

The autocrat issued the first gold circulation coins in 1897. Fifteen-ruble gold coins weighed 12.90 grams and their diameter was 24.6 mm. The circulation of 15 rubles issued in 1897 of the 900th standard totaled almost 12 million pieces. They were minted for 3 years (until 1899) by the St. Petersburg Monetary Court, although the dating on all coins, regardless of the current year of issue, was the same: “1987”. The coins depicted a portrait of the sovereign and the row of the country. There are varieties of these rubles. The current cost of 15 rubles reaches $1500.

After S. Witte carried out a monetary reform in 1897, as a result of which the gold standard was introduced in Russia, the production of 7.5 rubles from gold, unusual for the state, began (diameter 21.3 mm, weight 6.45 g, circulation just over 16.8 million pieces, current value around $1000) and 5 rubles made of gold (diameter 18.5 mm, weight 4.3 grams, minted until 1911). It is worth noting that as a result of the reform, the weight of the coins dropped significantly compared to the weight of their predecessor coins (under Alexander III, 5 gold rubles weighed 6.54 grams). In 1898, the minting of 10 rubles from gold also of reduced weight began (under Alexander III, the weight of 10 rubles from gold was 12.9 grams, and under Nicholas II - 8.6 grams). The diameter of the coins is 22.5 mm, the standard is 900. The minting of gold ten-ruble notes continued until 1911. The “symbol of the 20th century” is called the chervonets of Nicholas 2 made of gold (10 rubles, 1911).

Silver circulation coins of Nicholas II

Since 1897, the silver ruble became a physical means of payment, attached to the gold ruble. Silver coins now played the role of an auxiliary means of payment. High-grade silver coins were 25, 50 kopecks, 1 ruble (900th standard), 5, 10, 15, 20 kopecks were made from 500th standard silver. The weight of 1 ruble was 20 grams, diameter 33.65 mm, produced in 1895-1915. (under Alexander III, the weight of ruble coins was 20.73 grams, the diameter was 35.5 mm). The price of some copies reaches 40 thousand euros. Fifty kopecks weighed 10 grams with a diameter of 26.75 mm, minted in 1895-1914. 25 kopecks were cultivated in 1895-1901. weighing 5 grams with a diameter of 23 mm. Small denominations had even smaller weight and diameter. Change coins were produced until 1917 (5 kopecks until 1915). Silver coins of higher denomination were minted with a portrait of the sovereign; denominations below 25 kopecks contained the image of the coat of arms and the denomination of the coins.

Circulating coins of Nicholas II made of copper

Copper coins, like silver coins, were a common means of payment. They have changed little since the reign of Alexander III, the technical parameters were almost the same. Coins were produced in denominations of ¼, ½, 1, 2, 3, 5 kopecks. The price of some copper pennies today reaches $5,500.

Coins of Nicholas II of trial mintage

After the accession of any new king to the throne, the mints launched trial minting of coins, which were approved by the autocrat (or not approved). Draft versions of the image of the ruler were minted on these coins, and various versions of the design of future ones were considered. circulating coins. So, in 1895, trial silver 50 kopecks were issued, in 1896 - trial 5, 10 rubles in gold, in 1897 trial 15 rubles in gold, in 1898 - ¼, 1, 2, 3 kopecks. from copper, which were subsequently sent into general circulation. But there are also special coins, the trial minting of which was the beginning of unrealized reforms. So, in 1895, an attempt was made to change the name of the Russian monetary unit - it was planned to rename the “ruble” to "Rus". Therefore, in 1895, test coins of 15 Rus (imperial), 10 Rus and 5 Rus were made from gold - 5 test sets of 3 coins. The monarch did not approve the reform and the money was not put into circulation. Nowadays they are very valuable. The cost of one set can reach 500 thousand dollars.

In 1911, an attempt was made to reduce the cost of coin production by replacing silver coins with copper/nickel small money. Therefore, in the same year, test coins were issued from a copper/nickel alloy in denominations of 25, 20, 10, 5 kopecks. The reform was not implemented. Nowadays, the cost of some copies sometimes reaches 40 thousand dollars.

In 1916, during a copper shortage in Russia, it was planned to reduce the weight of circulating 5, 3, 2, 1 kopecks in order to send the saved copper for military needs. The revolution did not allow reform to be carried out. Today's cost of some trial coppers is about 50 thousand dollars.

It is worth highlighting separately the coins that appeared after the collapse of the Tsarist Empire in the early 30s. XX century. On the portrait of the last Russian monarch, depicted on silver half-rubles and rubles of the tsarist model, the inscription was stamped with an octagonal stamp: “The Deposition of the House of Romanov.” Despite the barbaric manner in which these “coins” were minted, they gained considerable popularity at auctions.

Commemorative and donative coins of Nicholas II

It was common practice for a crowned person to issue coronation coins. Nicholas II was no exception. In 1896, 25 rubles appeared in the tsar’s personal gift fund - 2½ imperials made of gold (coin weight 32.26 grams, diameter 33.5 mm, total circulation consisted of 301 pieces, current value about $150,000) and 1 ruble made of silver (piece weight 20 grams, diameter 33.65 mm, circulation more than 190 thousand pieces) in honor of his coronation. In 1908, with a circulation of 175 pieces. Twenty-five ruble coins (2½ imperials) were made for the 40th anniversary of the autocrat, weighing about 32.26 grams, with a diameter of 33.5 mm. Current value is about $175,000.

Special donative coins were gold "imperials" And "semi-imperials". They should not be confused with the common name for Nikolaev 10.5 rubles. Real “imperials” and “semi-imperials” have the corresponding inscription. “Imperials” were cultivated for 3 years (1895-1897) weighing 12.9 grams and diameter 24.6 mm. The annual circulation totaled 125 pieces, the current price reaches $320,000. “Semi-imperials” were produced for 2 years (1895-1896) weighing 6.45 grams, with a diameter of 21.3 mm, the annual circulation totaled 36 pieces. Now the cost is about $250,000.

A rare donation coin is a coin "100 francs" cultivated in 1902, costing 37.5 rubles-100 francs. There is an opinion that the monarch wanted to certify the Franco-Russian alliance by issuing this coin, although it is possible that unusual coin intended for circulation in casinos. The coin is expensive and rare (price up to 160 thousand dollars). The weight of the rarity is 32.26 grams, its diameter is 33.5 mm. The total circulation of coins was 235 pieces.

Other commemorative coins: ruble 1898 on the occasion of the opening of the monument to Alexander II in Moscow with a circulation of 5,000 copies. (there are medals of similar design); ruble 1912 for the opening of the monument to Alexander III in Moscow with a circulation of 2000 copies (there are also medals); ruble 1912-1912 to the 100th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon; ruble 1913 for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty; "Gangut" ruble 1914.

Special Issue Coins

Being the Grand Duke of Finland, Nicholas II issued money for Finland. 10, 20 marks were made of gold; 1, 2 marks, 25, 50 pennies in silver; 1, 5, 10 copper pennies. Minting of money for Finland was carried out in 1895-1917. Price range is $2-$50,000.

During the German occupation of the Western part of the Russian Empire in 1916, in order to revive the economy, the German command decided to issue iron coins in the occupied territories. Three denominations were minted in Berlin and Hamburg: 1, 2, 3 kopecks. The circulation of each of them was more than 6 million pieces. The money contained inscriptions in German and Russian. Price range is $50-$20,000.

The 1918 coins issued by the city deserve special attention Armavir after the abdication of Nicholas II. Due to the disruption of state monetary circulation due to revolutionary events, the flow of finance to the city stopped. Therefore, the Armavir authorities came up with their own money (bonds) to cover expenses. They were well received by the townspeople. But soon the new Soviet government banned the minting of local money. The issue took place in two stages and consisted of coins of 3 denominations: 5 rubles made of copper, 3 rubles made of copper and 1 ruble made of bronze (coin parameters varied depending on the issue). Price range from $250-$15500.

Released in 1896 coronation tokens made of bronze, silver, white metal, coin-shaped without an eyelet with a diameter of 25.2 mm.

Information on some coins and banknotes of the Russian Empire
Copper silver coins of Nicholas the First
Coins of Elizabeth Petrovna for the Baltic states

Commemorative coins of Nicholas the First
Deposit tickets of Nicholas the First
"Masons" by Nicholas I
Rings of Alexander the First
Coins of Peter the Great
Banknotes of Paul the First

Pennies from the drums of Peter the Third
Siberian coins of Catherine II

The first coins in Rus'
Russian coins for Finland

To reduce the cost of coin production, in 1911 the tsarist government planned to carry out a monetary reform and replace the silver coin with a copper-nickel one. Test copper-nickel coins in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 25 kopecks were even minted. 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 shortage of this non-ferrous metal, an attempt was made to carry out another monetary reform, which, however, never took place. During the reform, it was planned to reduce the weight of copper change coins in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks, and the resulting copper would be used for the needs of the army and navy. Test pieces were minted, which are very rare today. 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 several years ago, a lot of 6 copper coins from 1916 was presented, then estimated at 20-22 thousand dollars. Today, the auction value of each copy of these proof coins is 7-10 thousand dollars, and in some cases, when a particular copy is in perfect condition, it can reach 40 thousand dollars.

A landmark event in coinage during the reign of Nicholas 1 was the introduction of platinum coins into circulation by the emperor. Platinum coins were minted in three versions: 3, 6 and 12 rubles, all decorated with eagles, and had a circular inscription “so many spools of pure Ural platinum.”

In total, almost 15 tons of the precious metal were spent on minting platinum coins for the period from 1828 to 1845, which amounted to half of the platinum reserve as of 1846. Coins with a face value of 6 rubles were called “platinum duplons”, 12-ruble coins were called “quadruples”, and 3-ruble coins were called “three-ruble coins”.

During the reign of Nicholas the First, copper coins were in circulation with the word “silver” written on them. It seems that the inscription is simple, indicating that copper coins are backed by silver, however, most ordinary people are sure that the coins are made of silver. The reddish color doesn’t bother them, they say, silver used to be like that. I can imagine the expression on the jewelers’ faces when they are brought a copper round to be “melted down into a silver chain.”

The coins have a very simple design. On the obverse is the monogram of Nicholas the First, on the reverse there is the denomination, the inscription “kopecks in silver”, the year of minting and the mint. Even the edge of the coin is simple - smooth.

The price of the coins is not particularly high, but there is a rare 1839, coins from this year are rare, and therefore cost quite a bit of money. There is also the infrequent 1847. Among them there are some real rarities - these are coins from the Warsaw Mint with the designation MW.

There are few varieties among “silver” coins - the differences are mainly related to the monogram (simple and decorated).

The coin was minted at three mints and has the corresponding designations - EM, SM, SPM. The most common option is usually designated EM. The coins came in denominations of 1/4 kopecks, 1/2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, 2 kopecks and 3 kopecks.

Coins of Elizabeth Petrovna for the Baltic provinces are “Livonez”.

They were minted over two years, in 1756-1757. A Russian double-headed eagle is depicted, on the chest of which the Livonian and Estonian coats of arms are placed. Inscription: MONETA LIVOESTONICA, that is, “Livo-Estonian coin.” On some other examples of such coins it is written MONETA LIVONIKA ET ESTLANDIA, that is, “coin of Livonia and Estland”

They were printed for Livoestonia, Livonia and Estland = Estonia. Years of issue: 1756-1757. It is believed that Estonia ceded to Russia under the Treaty of Nystadt with Sweden in 1721. However, for some time after 1721, Estonia was effectively autonomous and was ruled by local Baltic barons. Customs borders between Estonia and Russia were abolished only in 1782.

Catherine 2 coins for payments in Wallachia and Moldova.

Coins for Moldavia and Wallachia were minted in 1771-1774. at the Sadogur private mint commissioned by the Russian government during the war between Russia and Turkey. Having a double denomination, these coins served not so much as a means of payment, but as an indicator of the ratio of local and Russian monetary units, and thereby facilitated the circulation of Russian money in the territory of Moldova and Wallachia, which was mainly used by the Russian army for settlements with the population when purchasing food and fodder

During the reign of Emperor Nicholas I, the following issue of memorial coins was carried out:
In 1834, on the occasion of the opening of the Alexander Column (a monument to Alexander I), the first memorial silver ruble was issued. On the obverse of the coin there was a portrait of Alexander I and the inscription “ALEXANDER THE FIRST B.M.” EMPEROR OF ALL RUSSIA.” The reverse of the coin depicts the Alexander Column and an inscription similar to the inscription on the monument itself: “TO ALEXANDER THE FIRST GRATEFUL RUSSIA. 1834”, and the denomination of the coin is also indicated - “1 RUBLE”.
The next two commemorative coins were minted in 1839 to mark the opening of the monument - the chapel on Borodino Field and to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris (1814), which ended the Napoleonic Wars.
This year two varieties of commemorative silver coins were issued, which had the same appearance and differed only in denomination: 1 RUBLE and 1 1/2 RUBLES.
Thus, the total circulation of these coins was 26 thousand pieces. The coin, with a face value of one and a half rubles, was minted in an amount of only 6 thousand pieces, so at this time it is quite rare and is an item of significant collectible value.
The obverse of the coins depicted the profile of Alexander I and two symbolic images: a sword entwined with laurel, personifying the valiant victories of Russian weapons over enemies; The “all-seeing eye” is a symbol of the divine origin of royal power and the king’s piety.
The inscription on the obverse completely repeated the inscription on the 1834 coin.
The reverse of the coin depicted a monument-chapel on the Borodino field, built in honor of the soldiers who died for their Fatherland.
The inscription on the reverse side of the coin contained information about the date of the Battle of Borodino “BORODINO AUGUS 26. 1812" and the opening date of the monument “OPENED AUGUS 26. 1839”, and also indicated the denomination of the coin - “1 RUBLE” or “1 1/2 RUBLES”. The carver of the stamps of both coins was the famous engraver Heinrich Gube.
In 1841 in royal family A pleasant event happened: Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich married a German princess, who took the name Maria Alexandrovna.
To commemorate this solemn event, a memorial ruble was minted, on which there was no denomination designation (which made it very similar to a similar memorial medal). This coin was minted from 83.3 standard silver (used for the mass minting of rubles), which distinguished it from commemorative coins minted in a higher standard.
On the obverse of the coin there were images of the newlyweds: Tsarevich Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna and the inscription in a circle: “V.K. MARIA ALEXANDROVNA * V.K. ALEXANDER NIKOLAEVICH *.”
The reverse depicted a shield entwined with a wreath, inside which were placed the monograms of Alexander and Mary.
Above the shield was the imperial crown, and on the sides of the shield: on the right was Cupid with a bow in his left hand, on the left was Psyche with a stem of a blooming lily in her right hand. At the bottom of the coin there was an inscription - “APRIL 16, 1841.” - date of marriage.

Establishment of a depository office from Nicholas l.

An important event was the decree on the establishment, on January 1, 1840, of a depository office at the State Commercial Bank, which accepted silver deposits for storage and issued tickets in return for the corresponding amounts. Initially these were tickets in denominations of 3, 5, 10 and 25 rubles, but subsequently tickets of 1, 50 and 100 rubles were introduced.

Each private individual could deposit a certain amount of silver into the depository office and in return receive tickets, which were recognized as equal to a silver coin. Tickets could be easily exchanged for silver. By the end of 1840, there were deposit notes worth 24,169,400 rubles in circulation. The deposit tickets were a complete success. Visitors literally besieged the cash register. Everyone was in a hurry to get tickets in exchange for gold and silver. The cash desk operated until September 1, 1843. Then the issue of deposit tickets was discontinued. The change in the monetary system and the accumulation of metallic money in deposit offices led to the goal outlined by Count E.F. Kankrin, - to the devaluation of banknotes. The release of deposit notes was a precursor to the replacement of banknotes with credit notes. On June 1, 1843, the famous manifesto “On the replacement of banknotes and other banknotes with credit notes” was published.

Nicholas I was known for his tough stance on politics, prohibitions on freethinking and the introduction of severe censorship. In one of his first Decrees in 1826, he banned Freemasonry, also due to the fact that all the leaders of the 1825 uprising were members of Masonic lodges. Freemasonry was prohibited before (three times). In 1822, Alexander I issued a similar Decree, forcing all “free masons” to give signatures about leaving and not joining any lodges in the future. Subscriptions were given, but in reality the work of the Masonic lodges did not stop.

Under Nicholas, the Decree banning Masonic lodges, as they say, came into effect. The Masons went deep underground, or secretly participated in the activities of foreign lodges. It is clear that the loss of positions in Russia was not to their taste.

And then, in 1826, Russia began minting coins with an eagle holding ribbons, parchment scrolls, arrows, and lightning bolts in its paws. Of course, these symbols were given a different, “non-Masonic” meaning. But members of the secret society, in order to prove to themselves and those around them that they, the Freemasons, were still strong, began to spread the rumor: “Well, they officially banned us, but our signs are minted on coins! We know we are strong.” !" Apparently, this gave rise to the stable nickname “Masonic”.

It is quite possible that this nickname and its motivation were invented later, when the prohibitions against Masons were weakened, in order to confirm their power and the inviolability of their presence in the state even during the years of persecution.
In fact, the “Masonic” symbols on the coins of Nicholas I are not such.

The main style of architecture and decorative arts of the first three decades of the 19th century was Empire (from the French empire - empire). Focusing on examples of ancient art, the Empire style primarily relied on the artistic heritage of archaic Greece and imperial Rome, drawing from it motives for embodying the greatness and power of the state: monumental massive porticos (mainly of the Doric and Tuscan orders), military emblems in architectural details and decoration (lictorial bundles, military armor, laurel wreaths, eagles, torches, armor, altars in the form of tripods, etc.). Therefore, the eagle on these coins is correctly called Empire, and not Masonic.

Alexander's rings l

In numismatics, a ring coin is a copper coin issued in 1801-1810, the reign of Alexander I (the time of reforms). The coins have their own unique design and are most often rare for collectors. Why is the coin called a ringer? You can answer this question immediately if you see it. There are rings running along the edge of the coin, and there are two types of rings. Despite the fact that most often you can find coins with a denomination of 5 kopecks, polushki, denga, 1 kopeck, 2 kopecks were minted.

Ring coins, as they are also called, were minted at two mints: Suzdal KM - Kolyvan coin, at the Yekaterinburg Mint - EM. There are some differences in the knots on the coin rings and the variety of double-headed eagles.

PS: Rings are rare due to the very small circulation than the face value less is more the smaller the circulation and, naturally, the higher the price of the coin

Emperor Peter I became famous as a reformer; he did not ignore the monetary system. By the end of the 17th century, a serious crisis was brewing in the country. As a result of constant weight loss, the then current silver coin of 1 kopeck turned into a crumb, no larger than a watermelon seed. In order to pay for a large order of such coins, a great number of such coins were required. The emperor himself called the pennies of that time lice. To change the current situation, the ruler carried out serious reforms in the field of coinage and new coins of that time became a real symbol of the era. Peter I introduced a new decimal system for counting money (1 ruble = 100 kopecks).

Gold coins of that time were minted at the Red and Kadashevsky mints in Moscow. Such specimens are of significant interest to numismatists; their price can be quite high.

As for silver coins, they were minted at that time in two versions: for use on the territory of the Russian Empire and for payments on the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Copper coins were produced in large quantities and differed not only in face value, but also in design, which varied depending on the year of minting and the mint.

Assignment circulation during the reign of Paul I

On November 27, 1796, it was finally decided not to re-mint the copper coin according to the 32-ruble foot from a pood. In this regard, the question arose about banknotes issued against expected profits. The same document stated that with the abolition of the redistribution and “through the destruction of the expected profit, a decree is needed so that the six million allocated to the treasury are either returned to the bank for destruction, or ordered to be deposited into the treasury account, added to other amounts owed to the bank.” There is a note from Prince A.B. on what to do with the remaining 6 million rubles. Kurakina: “Burn in the square in front of the palace. Find out where the tourniquet is. Burn the unreleased 6,000,000, and the rest released as you enter.”

The exchange of coins for banknotes began in St. Petersburg on January 1, and in Moscow on May 1, 1798. It was led by Prosecutor General Prince A.B. Kurakin. He personally reported on the progress of the operation to the emperor.
In total, gold and silver coin by 2.4 million rubles. Since there was not enough domestic production of precious metals, a special Office for the Purchase of Metals was established at the Assignation Bank, which was engaged in the purchase, in particular, of Dutch chervonets for their subsequent recoining. The exchange conditions were very favorable for the holders of banknotes, since the exchange fee established during the exchange, according to the decree of July 21, 1798, was increased from 30 to 40 kopecks, and was lower than the exchange rate. Banknotes were presented “for large sums”, and the Assignation Bank issued 10 thousand rubles in specie at the beginning of the year, and 8 thousand rubles each from the second half of the year. in a day. The entire stock is 2.4 million rubles. in specie was spent in 10 months. Contrary to expectations, this operation did not have a significant impact on the change in the rate of banknotes and the reduction in the volume of presentation for exchange. The coin either ended up in savings or was put into speculative circulation, so on October 12, 1798, A.B. Kurakin presented the emperor with a detailed analytical report on the disappointing results of the financial transaction, and in mid-October the exchange was suspended.
On December 22, 1800, Paul I approved a plan for issuing banknotes of a new type, for which they planned to exchange old banknotes within three and a half years. He was prompted to this by the numerous forgeries paper money(by 1800, the cost of buying back fake banknotes amounted to 200 thousand rubles), and the desire to “make them stronger.”

Thus, the destruction of paper money by exchanging it for coins, conceived by Paul I, ended in failure, as did the attempt to raise the exchange rate of the assigned ruble. At the end of the Pavlovsk era, at the end of 1800, the volume of paper money increased to 212.7 million rubles, and the exchange rate of the assigned ruble fell to 66 1/4 kopecks.

The level and development of money turnover in any country, both in ancient times and to this day, like a litmus test, reflects the economic and socio-political development within the state and determines its weight on the world stage. Monetary reforms occur at critical moments in the life of the state; moreover, they cause qualitative changes in the economic, social and political spheres.

In the middle of the 17th century in Rus', an attempt was made to improve the Russian monetary economy and adapt it to new socio-economic and political conditions. It went down in history as the monetary reform of 1654-1663, carried out by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

Alexei Mikhailovich (Quiet) (1629-1676) - Russian Tsar (from 1645), the second representative of the Romanov dynasty on the Russian throne, son and successor of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov and his second wife and Tsarina Evdokia Lukyanovna (nee Streshneva). Alexey Mikhailovich was an educated man who knew foreign languages. He created the order of Secret Affairs (1654-1676), which was subordinate only to the king and exercised control over the state.

Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov began his reign at the age of 14, when he was first solemnly “announced” to the people. At the age of 16, having first lost his father, and soon his mother, in 1645, he ascended the throne, married Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya, and had thirteen children with her (including the future Tsars Ivan and Fyodor, the princess-ruler Sophia ).

Alexei Mikhailovich died on January 30, 1676 at the age of 47. According to testamentary documents, back in 1674, his eldest son Fedor became heir to the throne. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich inherited a powerful power recognized abroad to his sons. One of his sons - Peter I the Great - managed to continue the work of his father, completing the formation of an absolute monarchy and the creation of the great Russian Empire.

At the beginning of the reign of the Tsar in Rus' there were only 3 types of coins: kopek, polushka, denga. Also, during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, gold coins were actively minted. These include golden altyn, Ugric, quarter Ugric and double Ugric. But gold coins were mainly used as rewards, rather than as trading coins.

During the reign of Nicholas II, anniversary and commemorative (gift) coins were issued to mark special occasions.

Paper money and change stamps - money of Nicholas II

In September 1915, the tsarist government decided to issue paper substitutes for small change coins. They became change marks-money, which, as was then believed, would make up for the shortage small coins while the war was going on. For their production, cliches of postage stamps issued in 1913 for the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov were used. The stamps in denominations of 1, 2 and 3 kopecks had portraits of Peter I, Alexander II and Alexander III, respectively, and on the back there was the inscription “Circulation equal to that of a copper coin.” On stamps in denominations of 10, 15 and 20 kopecks there were portraits of Nicholas II, Nicholas I, Alexander I and the inscription “Circulated on par with a small silver coin.” These banknotes were made from thin cardboard with teeth. Stamp money was printed on machines that had previously produced stamps, all on the same EZGB.

In practice, using stamps instead of coins turned out to be extremely inconvenient. They were small and wore out quickly. It happened that when trying to pay with them at the market, gusts of wind carried the colorful “stamps” away from the counter. Perhaps that is why they received the apt name “moths” among the people. A few months later, in addition to stamps, paper treasury notes began to be printed in denominations of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 50 kopecks. These signs turned out to be more convenient for everyday calculations. With the release of treasury bills, the circulation of stamp money was reduced. Treasury bills in denominations of 10, 15 and 20 kopecks. it was decided not to put them into circulation, and the printed edition was destroyed.

The issue of money stamps and treasury bills accelerated the process of coins disappearing from cash circulation. Already from the beginning of 1916, the mass of banknotes in circulation consisted almost entirely of paper money: these were stamp money, paper treasury notes and credit notes of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 rubles.

"Drum" pennies

When Peter III came to power, numerous innovations followed, including the introduction of a monetary reform. Under Peter III, copper coins were minted with the symbolic battle image of “Drums” and other military regalia (Peter III loved the army and everything related to war), so these kopecks are called “drum”.
Later, all drum coins were reminted, so few of them survive and their price is high.

The Siberian coin is a copper coin minted from December 5, 1763 to June 7, 1781 exclusively for circulation in Siberia.
Coins were issued in denominations of polushka, dengu, kopeck, 2 kopecks, 5 kopecks and 10 kopecks by the Suzunsky Mint from Kolyvan copper.

In 1763, the Cabinet of Her Imperial Majesty sent a request to the office of the Kolyvan-Voznesensk factories about the possibility of using copper, obtained as a by-product when smelting silver and gold from ore, for the minting of copper coins. The factory office reported that there was enough copper (more than 500 tons, which should be enough for 4 years of minting, and taking into account the copper mined during this period - for 5 years), but a certain amount of silver and gold remained in it (“... not a small amount of silver and a noble piece of gold,” according to initial calculations, their shares were 0.79% for silver and 0.01% for gold per pood), and therefore minting a copper coin from it at the usual rate (16 rubles per pood) “... is not only unprofitable , but also regrettable." The President of the Coinage Department, Actual State Councilor I. Schlatter, calculated the foot for the Kolyvan alloy, based on the existing coin feet for copper, silver and gold coins. The silver content corresponded to 7 rubles. 35.59 kopecks, gold - 1 rub. 1.02 kopecks, copper - 15 rubles. 87 kopecks The total was 24 rubles. 24 kopecks from a pood, but in case there were a little more precious metals, Schlatter rounded up the foot to 25 rubles.
On December 5, 1763, Empress Catherine issued a decree on the circulation of a new copper coin manufactured at the Kolyvano-Voznesensk factories; circulation was limited only to the territory of the Siberian province. An image of the new coins was attached to the decree. Coins of ten-, five- and two-kopeck denominations were provided with the inscription “Kolyvan copper” along the edge; later this inscription was replaced by the letters KM on the obverse.
Due to improvements in silver smelting technology, the total content of precious metals in Kolyvan copper decreased to an average of 0.59% by 1768 (silver had to be added to maintain value) and to 0.39% by 1778. The factory office proposed minting a coin in a 20-ruble foot, but in the end it was decided to stop minting a special Siberian coin.
On June 7, 1781, a decree was issued to stop the minting of Siberian copper coins and switch to national stamps and a 16-ruble foot “without any counting of the small particles of gold and silver contained in that copper.” The previously minted Siberian coin remained in circulation.
The first batch of Siberian coins was issued in 1766 and amounted to 23,277 rubles 52 ½ kopecks. In total, 3,656,310 rubles worth of Siberian coins were issued; some sources indicate the figure as 3,799,661 rubles.

The decree on the minting of copper coins was signed by Catherine I in 1725 and the Yekaterinburg mining factories began minting new money, in denominations from hryvnia to ruble, from their own red copper, one pood of which cost only 10 rubles, which was much cheaper than Hungarian and Swedish.
To organize the minting of copper processing, the Swedish master Deichman went to the Urals together with his assistant, mining master Gordeev. The chief manager of the state-owned factories of the Urals, Villim Genin, was assigned to control such an important state undertaking.
Russian square coins were minted in the form of copper plates, which had only a one-sided image. On the front side, in the corners, double-headed eagles with three crowns were depicted. The bodies of the eagles were depicted in the form of a shield, on which Catherine’s monogram was depicted, containing the letters J J and E. The eagles held a scepter and an orb in their paws.
In the center of the platinum there is an imprint with the denomination of the coin, the year of minting and the place of issue. WITH reverse side the coin was smooth. The bulk of the circulation was printed in 1726 in the amount of 38,730 rubles. In the same year, square coins of nickels and kopecks were issued, which differed somewhat in the design on the obverse from the ruble coins.
Square coins with a ruble denomination were minted for two years, in 1725 and 1726, the size was 188 * 188 mm and weighed 1.636 kg. Poltina weighed 800g and was produced during 1726. The half-poltina had four varieties, was produced in 1725 and 1726, and weighed 400 grams.
Copper plates of square coins with a denomination of 1 hryvnia were minted from 1725 to 1727. The size of the copper kopecks was 62*62 mm, weight - 163.8 g. In 1726, 6 varieties of hryvnia were minted, so they became the most common square coins, accounting for about 80% of all copper plates issued under Catherine I.
The kopek had two varieties measuring 23*23 mm and weighing 16.38 grams. There were three varieties of nickels, measuring 45*45mm and weighing 105.95 grams. These are the rarest coins; they were issued in the amount of 43 rubles and 51 kopecks.
Square coins never became full-fledged money, although there were all the prerequisites for this, and on December 31, 1726, Catherine I issued a decree to stop the production of copper plates and withdraw minted ones from circulation. Subsequently, the square copper money was sent to be melted down to produce the 1730 money.
Very few of these square coins have survived to this day; almost all of them have become numismatic rarities and exclusives.

The first coins in Rus'

Prince Vladimir began minting coins for the first time in Rus' - gold ("zlatnikov") and silver ("srebrenikov"), reproducing the Byzantine models of that time. Most of the coins of Vladimir depict a prince sitting on a throne and the inscription:

“Vladimr on the table” (Vladimir on the throne); there are options with a chest image (see picture) and other legend text, in particular, on some versions of the silver pieces the name of St. Basil is indicated, in whose honor Vladimir was named in baptism. Judging by the incomplete form of the words (not Volodimr, but Vladimr; not gold, but zlato), the coinmakers were Bulgarians. Zlatniks and silver coins became the first coins issued on the territory of Rus'. Only on them were preserved lifetime symbolic images of Prince Vladimir, a man with a small beard and long mustache.
The princely sign of Vladimir is also known from coins - the famous trident, adopted in the 20th century. Ukraine as the state emblem. The issue of the coin was not determined by actual economic needs - Rus' was well served by Byzantine and Arab gold and silver coins - but by political goals: the coin served as an additional sign of the sovereignty of the Christian sovereign.

Finnish money of the Russian emperor

After Finland joined the Russian Empire in September 1809, it was recognized by Emperor Alexander II as an autonomy in which it was necessary to circulate not Russian coins, but its own currency, and abandon the Swedish coins that had always circulated in Finnish territories throughout its history.
At the insistence of the Russian government, a stamp was introduced in the Grand Duchy of Finland. The currency got its name from this ancient Finnish word meaning “money” and was also a common name for coins. One stamp contained 100 pennies.

“Penny” is also a familiar word for the Finnish population; in the Middle Ages it was already used to name coins and it is consonant with the Finnish word “pieni” - small.

Although it is interesting to look at the introduction of a new monetary system in Finland through the prism of the interests of the Russian Empire. In this case, this reform can be viewed as a financial experiment in integration into Europe. By "coincidence" the initial silver content in the mark was equal to the amount of silver in the French franc and 1/4 of Russian ruble. Since 1864, the mark was no longer tied to the ruble, and it switched completely to the international silver standard.

This economic experience was preceded by the prehistory of 1859: the created coin commission made a proposal for organizing financial affairs in the empire, the essence of which was to make the monetary unit 4 times smaller. But this proposal was rejected by the king and was implemented later in Finland.

Russian-Finnish coins began to be minted in 1864 by the Helsingfors Mint from silver (marks: 1 and 2, 868 fine; pennies: 25 and 50, 750 fine) and copper (pennies in denominations 1, 5 and 10). During the first year of operation, the mint produced: 30 thousand copper coins of 1 penny; 104 thousand pieces of 50 silver pennies; 1 mark in the amount of 75 thousand coins. During 1865, more than 1 million copper coins of 1, 5 and 10 pennies, about 4 million silver coins of 25 pennies, 50 pennies and 1, 2 marks were minted.

On the obverse of the copper coins was the monogram of Alexander II under the imperial crown, on the reverse: for one and five pennies - the date and denomination; for ten pennies the date and denomination are in the wreath. The reverses of silver pennies in denominations of 25 and 50 depicted the official Russian eagle with the coat of arms on the chest of the Grand Duchy of Finland - a lion with a sword, and the denomination with a date in a wreath.

On the 1st and 2nd mark coins, the eagle on the reverse was surrounded by an inscription indicating the silver content, as on Russian coins. The only difference is that the inscriptions were written exclusively in Latin.

The coins of the Crimean Khanate are historical monuments covering a significant period of time - from the founding of the Gerai dynasty in the mid-15th century to the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Empire in 1783. These coins illustrate not only the years in which a particular khan ruled and the name of the mint, but also the economic situation in the khanate.
The founder of the Giray dynasty is the first Khan of Crimea, Hadji I Giray, who, after a long struggle, achieved the independence of Crimea from the Golden Horde. There are a number of versions of the pedigree of Hadji Giray, but most likely, Hadji Giray belonged to the famous Mongol-Turkic family of Kerey (Kirey, Giray), and only later was assigned to the Golden Family.
Some representatives of the Gerai dynasty also occupied the throne of the Kazan, Astrakhan and Kasimov khanates.
The last Geray on the Crimean throne was Shahin Geray, who abdicated the throne, moved to the Russian Empire, and then to Turkey, where he was executed. There was a side line of Choban Geray, one of whose representatives, Adil Geray, occupied the Crimean throne.
Today, one of the contenders declaring themselves as the heir to the throne is Jezzar Pamir Geray, who lives in London.

The Crimean Khanate (Crimea: Qırım Hanlığı, قريم خانلغى) is a state of the Crimean Tatars that existed from 1441 to 1783. The name itself is Crimean yurt (Crimea: Qırım Yurtu, قريم يورتى). In addition to the Crimea itself, it occupied the lands between the Danube and the Dnieper, the Azov region and most of the modern Krasnodar region Russia. In 1478, the Crimean Khanate officially became an ally of the Ottoman state and remained in this capacity until the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace of 1774. It was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1783. Currently, these lands belong to Ukraine (west of the Don) and Russia (east of the Don).

In the design of coins of the new reign, changes occur only in the part relating to the personality of the monarch. On the obverse of the silver ruble, 50 and 25 kopecks there is a portrait of Nicholas II by Vasyutinsky, but now it faces left (west). The reverse retains the same coat of arms, right down to the AG sign under the horse's hind leg.

Rubles were minted annually from 1895 to 1915. Half a ruble - from 1895 to 1914, except for 1905. Half a half - in 1895, 1896, 1998, 1900 and 1901. Twenty-kopeck coins - from 1901 to 1917. Fifteen-kopeck coins - from 1896 to 1917, except 1910. Five-kopeck coins - from 1897 to 1915, except 1907.

In 1897, the government implemented the transition to the gold standard. The St. Petersburg Mint was overloaded with the production of gold coins. Therefore, some of the bank coins had to be minted at the Paris and Brussels mints. The stamps and stamps for them were made in St. Petersburg, so it is possible to determine which yard minted the coin only by the edge. The sign of Paris is one star, Brussels is two. In three years, from 1896 to 1898 inclusive, three yards produced bank silver coins worth a huge amount of about one hundred and forty million rubles (more than in the entire previous half century).

Over the twenty-year period of issue of Nicholas II rubles, five different portrait forms can be traced. Of these, the more convex image of 1912-13 stands out significantly. The shape of the eagle does not change until 1915. After the role of a high-grade silver coin was reduced to the level of change, the fifty-kopeck piece became very easy to handle. Its mass release follows in the same years 1896 - 97, then repeated in 1899 and 1912 - 13. Poltinas have five different portrait shapes. The flatter image of 1914 stands out significantly. The coins of the Parisian mintage (1896, 97, 99) have a star-shaped mark on the edge.

The half-fifty note, on the contrary, is losing its role (the billon twenty-kopeck note is too close to it), and after the mass issue of 1896 and the relatively small one of 1900, its production for circulation purposes ceases. Among the half-fifty coins, three portrait forms can be distinguished. Since the coins have a jagged edge, it is difficult to unambiguously identify the Parisian coinage of 1896.

2. Silver coins of Nicholas II

The expensive silver coin was not issued after 1915, and orders for additional minting of ten and fifteen kopeck coins were placed in Osaka, Japan (these coins with the date 1916, unlike the St. Petersburg ones, do not have not only a mint mark, but also the mintmaster’s initials under the eagle) .