Military history, weapons, old and military maps. The last coins of the last tsar Regular minting of coins of Nicholas II
Nicholas II reigned for 23 years (1894-1917), at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and was the last king Russian Empire. During the years of his reign, the country experienced significant transformations, embarked on the path of industrialization and a new round of economic development. All this required the modernization of the monetary system, which resulted in Witte’s monetary reform, initiated at the very beginning of the emperor’s reign. As a result, for more than 2 decades, Russia issued numerous coins containing gold, silver and copper.
Among the traditional rubles made of gold and silver, and kopecks made of silver and copper, commemorative and commemorative coins were also issued at this time, an unsuccessful attempt was made to replace rubles with “Rus”, and regional Finnish stamps and pennies were also issued. In 1916, in the occupied Russian lands, Germany issued 1, 2, 3 and kopecks for circulation. However, these coins are also classified as coins from the era of Nicholas II.
The reign of Nicholas II: era and personality
Copper coins were small change and formed the basis of monetary relations among the common people living on the territory of the vast Russian Empire.
The era of the reign of the last emperor of the Russian Empire, Nicholas II (1895-1917), is of interest to both many historians and numismatists. During this period, turning-point phenomena occur for the country, significantly affecting all areas without exception - the economy, society and even the state system.
Speaking about this time, a few words should be said about the personality of the sovereign. Nicholas II is the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, born on May 18, 1868 (acceded to the throne in 1895). From birth, the future emperor bore the title “His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich.”
But despite the highest title, the contemporaries of Nicholas II saw in him an easy-going person, possessed of natural dignity and always treated ordinary people kindly. Although he received an elite education and rose to the rank of colonel, many noted his indecision in making urgent decisions and even political uncertainty. Indirectly, this turned part of the people against him as a result of defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, the 1905 Revolution and after the failures in the First World War, which led to the overthrow of the Tsar himself in 1917.
Moscow, early 20th century
Regardless of the assessment of the personality of Nicholas II, under him, the Russian Empire experienced an obvious economic boom. Thus, during his reign, the population of the empire grew by almost 50,000,000 people (40% more than the previous period). Thanks to the active development of agriculture, and more thoughtful and new means of communication, the “hunger years” due to crop failure at the beginning of the twentieth century were completely eliminated.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Industry is also developing. During the entire reign of Nicholas II, coal production increased 4 times, the volume of cast iron smelting increased by the same amount, and copper production increased 5 times. The number of workers employed in this area is also increasing - from 2 million to 5 million people.
Finally, during the entire reign of the last Russian emperor, the treasury increased significantly. At the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II (1895) it amounted to 1.2 billion rubles, when by the end of this period (1916) it was 3.5 rubles.
In front of the watch shop "Kalashnikov and Son", early 20th century, Moscow
Despite the obvious economic successes of the described period, the First World War began in 1914, which only aggravated internal political tensions. Failures in the war lead to the 1917 uprising in Petrograd, as a result of which the Tsar voluntarily abdicated the throne on March 2. Along with this begins and completely new page in the history of Russia.
Currency reform Yu.V. Witte and the transition to the gold standard
S.Yu. Witte - Minister of Finance, and since 1903 - Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, was one of the most talented political figures of this period. The Witte reform, named after him and carried out in several stages in 1895-1897, provided for the introduction of 100% backing of the overwhelming majority of banknotes issued in circulation with gold and their free exchange for gold (the so-called “monometallism policy”).
First of all, in 1895, gold coins of a new standard were introduced: a 5-ruble gold coin (half-imperial) was valued at 7 rubles. 50 kopecks, and 10-ruble (imperial) - 15 rubles, i.e. the ruble was actually devalued by 1/3. At the same time, the free exchange of credit notes, which along with banknotes were issued into circulation, for gold, was introduced. In an amount not exceeding 600 million rubles, credit notes were backed by gold by no less than 50%, and above this amount by 100%.
Witte's reform was distinguished by its progressive significance: with the transition to the gold standard, a fairly stable monetary system was created that contributed to the development of industry and trade in the country.
As a result monetary reform Witte changed the structure of the country's monetary circulation, and Russia for the period until 1914 received a stable currency backed by gold. If in 1895 banknotes accounted for 91.7% of the total money supply, then by January 1914 in the total money supply gold accounted for 21.2%, silver - 5.4% and banknotes - 73.4%.
However, the requirement of 100% gold coverage for the issue of credit notes limited the issuing activities of the State Bank, which made the monetary system dependent on many factors. For example, dependence on raw materials for the production of coins from various metals was a significant problem during the First World War. Actually, with the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the exchange of money for gold was stopped.
Types of coins issued under Nicholas II
Under Nicholas II, a simply huge number of coins were issued, both in number and in the types presented. All coins of the period of interest can be divided into 6 categories. These are gold, silver and copper coins, proof series of coins, as well as commemorative or donative coins issued for special occasions, and regional coins issued for circulation in certain parts of the Russian Empire.
The coins of Nicholas II have been studied very well and are presented in many textbooks and works. Of greatest interest are such works as the corpus of coins of Grand Duke Georgiy Mikhailovich (the last year of publication was 1914, but complete information on coins of the period of interest is collected here); voluminous work by V.V. Uzdechnikov “Coins of Russia. 1700–1917”, as well as detailed reference materials presented in the work of V.V. Bitkin "Consolidated catalog of Russian coins" (in particular, volume 2). In the last work you can find the most detailed information about the circulations and years of issue of all coins. The most up-to-date price comparisons are provided by the annual releases of numismatic catalogs issued by Conros, Wolmar and others. others.
Proof coins
At the very beginning of his reign, Nicholas II, who was not distinguished by his reformist nature, nevertheless tried to introduce new money into circulation instead of rubles, called “Rus”, and which, according to the idea, was supposed to gradually replace rubles. Trial versions were minted in denominations of 5, 15 and 10 russ (a total of five sets of three coins each). But the emperor, for an unknown reason, did not approve of the new money, and its mass release never took place.
In the early years of the introduction of Witte's monetary reform, experimental types of gold and silver coins of traditional denominations were also minted, but with modified designs in some details. The circulation of such coins was limited, they were not released into mass circulation, and their modern price, due to these circumstances, is significantly higher than ordinary kopecks and rubles.
Throughout the reign of Nicholas II, various experimental coin issues were issued, but the series of nickel coins in small denominations of 1, 1/2 and 1/4 kopecks from 1897-98 deserves special attention. (mirror image), and coins of 25 kopecks and less, issued in 1911 and 1916. Nickel, of course, was cheaper than copper and silver, but the introduction of such money was not carried out under Tsarist Russia, but had already taken place in the Soviet Union.
Golden coins
In connection with the transition to the gold standard, millions of gold coins were issued into mass circulation, issued from 1897 to 1911. After the revolution, the Soviet government also issued royal gold coins and used them for international payments.
Among the gold coins of Nicholas II, the so-called. "imperials" (10 rubles) and "semi-imperials" (5 rubles). Such money was issued only for three years in the period 1895-1897. They always had the inscription “imperial” on them; 125 pieces (10 rubles) and, accordingly, 36 pieces were produced every year.
Their weight corresponded to Aleksandrovsky standards, while the rest had a “light” version. So, if before the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II, the weight of a coin worth 10 rubles (the so-called “stop”) was equal to 12.9 grams, when after it it was 8.6 grams. Imperials are often confused with lightweight 5 and 10 ruble coins, which are not so rare. In 1897, coins of two unusual denominations were also issued - a gold coin of 15 rubles, and 7.5 rubles.
Silver coins
Despite the fact that during this period the main emphasis was on issuing money from gold, silver coins were also produced in large quantities throughout the reign of Nicholas II. They formed the basis of the monetary system of the Russian Empire, were convenient in calculations, and were issued in multi-million copies.
Over three years (1896-1898), three yards produced silver bank coins worth an incredible amount - about 140 million rubles (several times more than in the entire previous 50 years). In the 20th century, silver coins were also printed in large volumes, but in smaller circulations.
Conventionally, the silver coins of Nicholas II can be divided into two groups - the first contain 9 parts of silver and 1 part (i.e. 10%) copper. These are coins of three denominations - 1 ruble, 50 and 25 kopecks; coins in denominations of 20, 15, 10 and 5 kopecks were only half made of silver.
Copper coins
During the reign of Nicholas II, copper coins formed the basis of the country's monetary relations, and they were used for most small settlement transactions. They were issued annually by the St. Petersburg Mint in multi-million circulations until 1917 in such denominations as 5 kopecks, 3 kopecks, 2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck, according to the model established from the mid-19th century.
Due to their frequent occurrence, they are not of particular interest to many collectors, although there are real rarities here too. These include 5 kopecks and 3 kopecks, as well as 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck in 1894 and 1917. (years before the coronation of Nicholas II, and in the last year of his reign).
Commemorative and donative coins
These coins were minted in honor memorable dates and important historical events, and most fully reflect the spirit of the era of interest. Issued in gold and silver. Among the gold coins, the 25 ruble and 37.5 ruble (100 francs) coins deserve special attention.
100 francs is a coin considered extremely rare. It was issued in 1902, and is equal in weight to a 25 ruble coin - 32.26 grams. The denomination of the coin is 100 francs. In terms of the then exchange rate in Russian currency – 37.5 rubles.
25 rubles. Coins of this denomination are known, issued in two years - 1896 and 1908. 25 rubles of 1896 in gold were minted for the coronation of Emperor Nicholas. The circulation of the coin is only 301 copies. In 1908, on the occasion of the emperor’s fortieth birthday, a small edition of 25 rubles was also issued. Gift coins, already in the year of their issue, were considered very valuable, as they served as a sign of special attention from the sovereign.
Silver donative coins were often issued under Nicholas II in editions of many thousands, and each time on a specific memorable occasion. The 1896 ruble, minted in honor of the coronation of the Tsar, was presented to all those present, and the circulation amounted to 190 thousand copies. The 1898 ruble was made in honor of the opening of the monument to Alexander II in St. Petersburg. On one side there is a portrait of Alexander III, on the other - a monument to Alexander II.
A 1912 ruble in honor of the installation of a monument near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to the great Tsar Alexander 3. Another silver ruble of 1912 commemorated the centenary of the victory over Napoleon’s troops. 40 thousand coins were issued with the inscription: “This glorious year has passed, but the deeds accomplished in it will not pass away.” The 1913 silver ruble was issued in honor of the tercentenary of the House of Romanov. And finally, the so-called Gangut ruble is the last anniversary coin of Tsarist Russia, issued in honor of the victory in the battle of Gangut, which took place in 1714.
Regional releases
These coins can be considered the most unusual, because their design reflects the essence of relations between Russia and other countries. In this regard, the most striking example is the Finnish marks and penalties. Finland at that time was part of the Russian Empire, which issued money for circulation exclusively in this region of the Russian Empire.
Under Nicholas II, stamps and pennies were issued almost annually, maintaining the design developed under Alexander II. Only the monogram on the reverse of the penny changed (the initials of the new monarch appeared, written in Latin - N II). The reverse of the stamps was decorated with the eagle of the Russian coat of arms, on the chest of which was inscribed the coat of arms of the Principality of Finland and an inscription of two words at the bottom separated by an asterisk: “Finland * Suomi”. Penalties were issued in the following denominations - 1,5,10, 25 and 50, marks - 1, 10 and 20, respectively. At the then exchange rate, 1 ruble was equal to 4 Finnish marks.
German Occupation Bonds, another unusual regional coin issue, were actually issued by the German government. The 1916 bonds were minted in Germany and issued into circulation in Russia, occupied by German troops in the First World War (Poland, the Baltic states, western Ukraine and Belarus).
On the obverse of the bonds there is a denomination in Russian (1, 2 or 3 kopecks) and the year of issue, inscribed in a Maltese cross. The reverse is represented by the inscription in four rows, in German: “GEBIEST DES OBERBERFELSHABERS OST” (“Office of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the East”) and below the courtyard (issued in Hamburg and Berlin).
During the reign of Nicholas II, copper coins formed the basis of the country's monetary relations, and they were used for most small settlement transactions. They were issued annually in multi-million circulations until 1917 in such denominations as 5 kopecks, 3 kopecks, 2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck, according to the model established since the mid-19th century. Due to their frequent occurrence, they are not of particular interest to many collectors, although there are real rarities here too. These include 5 kopecks and 3 kopecks in 1917, as well as 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck in 1894.
Copper coins in the everyday life of Russians at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries
Copper coins were small change and formed the basis of monetary relations among the common people living on the territory of the vast Russian Empire.
Under Nicholas II, coins of 5 kopecks, 3 and 2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, as well as 1/2 and 1/4 kopecks were minted from copper per foot of 50 rubles per pood (16 kg) - according to the type of denominations that developed back in the 1860s years.
In addition to St. Petersburg mint in 1896-1898, copper fines (with the exception of 5 kopecks) were produced by order of the government by the Birmingham Mint (Great Britain), and in 1899-1901 - by the private “Rosenkrantz factory” in St. Petersburg. Mint mark - “S.P.B.” - was placed on all coins, regardless of the actual place of minting, until 1914, after which the mark was abolished, and samples of coins were already issued without its designation.
Rosencrantz Factory 1910s
What could any owner of such wealth do? copper coins during the reign of Nicholas II? According to statistics recent years his reign (data taken from the Statistical Yearbook of Moscow. Issue 4. 1911-1913. - M., 1916.), prices in Moscow then correlated as follows:
- 1 kg of premium cereal cost approximately 17 kopecks, a measure of potatoes - 45 kopecks (1 measure is approximately equal to 1 pood), a pound (16 kg) of rye bread - 1 ruble 25 kopecks (1 loaf cost 3-5 kopecks);
- pound (about 400 g) of first grade beef - 24 kopecks; pound of veal - 37 kopecks; one chicken - 93 kopecks;
- a pound of butter - 50 kopecks, a bottle of milk - 8 kopecks;
- 1 glass of beer - 5 kopecks, 1 bottle of vodka (0.75 liters), "monopoly" - 35 kopecks, 1 glass ("bastard", approximately 60 milligrams) - 6 kopecks.
At the same time, any artisan, mason, carpenter or joiner earned a little less than 2 rubles a day; day laborer (depending on the work performed) - from 40 kopecks to 1 ruble. Women were paid less.
Design of copper coins of Nicholas II
During the time of Nicholas II, the design of the coins remained virtually unchanged compared to issues of previous years. Only on the smallest copper coins - “denge” and “polushka” (1/2 and 1/4 kopecks) the imperial monogram is changed and the monogram “H II” is used, with a royal crown in ribbons and a wreath at the bottom. The reverse of these coins is characterized by maximum simplicity - the denomination number, two five-pointed decorative stars, the year of issue (before 1915 and the inscription S.P.B.), and decorative curls in the middle.
The design of the range of denominations from 5 to 1 kopeck will differ from appearance more small coins, although it is typical. On the obverse there is a double-headed eagle, around it there is an ornamental edging in the Old Russian style with the inscriptions “COPPER RUSSIAN COIN” (above) and the letters denomination number and the word “KOPEEK” (below, for example “TWO KOPEYKS”).
On the reverse, the denomination is already indicated by a number (for example, “3 KOPEEK”) with two five-pointed decorative stars, under the vignette is the mint mark. The composition is framed by laurel and oak branches tied in a bow; the year of minting is indicated at the top. All copper coins have a ribbed edge, although variants with a smooth edge are also known.
Description of denominations and current prices
5 kopecks. For the vast majority of the reign of the last Emperor of Russia, this denomination was printed in silver. However, since 1911, due to another reform (and most likely, the government’s desire to save on precious metals), 5 kopecks began to be printed from copper. Such five-kopeck coins are interesting due to the fact that they were produced in only three years - in 1911, 1912 and 1916.
5 kopecks of 1911 were minted in a circulation of 4 million. pieces, and today, in VF condition, they are valued in the range of 5-10 dollars. 5 kopecks of 1912 are much less common, because The circulation that year was about 3 million coins. They are also more expensive. This example in VF condition is offered for 15-30 US dollars. 5 kopecks from 1916 are the most expensive, although their circulation that year was 8 million. In VF condition, one copy is estimated at 50-80 US dollars. These coins were also issued in 1917, but were not put into circulation. Information about the circulation is also unknown, and such a copy is considered a real rarity.
3 kopecks. From 1895 to 1916, a three-kopeck coin, convenient for monetary transactions, was minted annually in multi-million circulations. How many copies were produced in 1917 is also unknown; in catalogs they are listed as extremely rare (index R4 according to Bitkin). The largest quantity was produced in 1916 - 25.6 million pieces.
The average cost of such a coin is more difficult to determine, because The price range here is very wide. In VF condition, 3 kopecks cost 3-10 dollars, in XF condition – from 5 to 30 US dollars.
2 kopecks. The “kopeck piece” was minted under Nicholas II in the 19th century, minted only in 1895, and then every year from 1902 to 1917 inclusive (and here the situation according to circulation data is similar).
In terms of value, this coin is also, in general, not particularly different. The coins are ordinary; finding them in good condition at a low price will not be difficult for any novice collector. Approximate prices: F - $1-2; VF - $3-10; XF- $10-20.
1 kopeck. It was minted only in 1894-1895, then from 1902 until 1916. The circulation each year numbers millions of copies, so prices do not vary much. Similar with prices for 2 kopecks. Only specimens from 1902 are valued more expensively; for the preservation of VF you can get from 12 to 25 US dollars.
1/2 kopeck And 1/4 kopeck. The rarest half- and quarter-kopeck coins date back to 1894, when Nicholas II had not yet been crowned. Apparently, very few of them were minted, the occurrence index according to Bitkin is R2, and the cost of such a coin reaches 1000 US dollars or even more.
Half-kopeks were printed from 1894-95, and then annually from 1908-1916. inclusive. “Quarters” were minted for only 6 years - in 1894, 1895, 1909, 1910, 1915 and 1916. The main part of such coins does not have a high value: F - $ 1-3 VF - $ 3-5. Samples from 1900 and 1908 are priced a little more expensive. - in VF condition - $5-15. Well, of course, the most expensive are two years - the first and last, 1895 (VF) - $15-25 and 1916 (VF) - more than 100 US dollars.
The series of coins from the reign of Nicholas 2 includes coins from 1984 (Coronation of Emperor Nicholas 2) to 1917 (October Revolution). This is a set of coins of the Russian Empire, which include - copper kopecks, silver coins and gold coins.Russian Emperor Nicholas II ruled the country from 1894 to 1917 and during this short time many coins were minted in Russia. Today, many numismatic items from this period are considered quite rare. A remarkable event of the reign of this emperor is that his portrait was minted not only on coins of large denomination, but also a silver coin of 25 kopecks has his image. On all coins minted during the period 1894-1918, and where there is an image of the emperor, his profile is turned to the left.
As for small denomination coins, they do not have the image of the king, and this happened for two reasons:
- Small denomination coins are too small to display a clear and recognizable image.
- At that time, it was believed that ordinary people should not have coins with the image of the king on them.
During the reign of Nicholas II, it was successfully implemented currency reform. It was carried out on the initiative of S. Witte and thanks to it, coins of two denominations appeared: 15 rubles, as well as 7 rubles 50 kopecks. Under this king, coins of three different types: copper, silver, and gold. But it should be noted that test coins made of aluminum worth 5 rubles were also issued. The trial ones are 25 kopecks (an alloy of copper and nickel) and 5 kopecks of reduced weight (copper became expensive in 1916). They are also of great interest to collectors.
Among gold coins worth noting are coins worth 5, 10 and 25 rubles (gold coins of 7.50 rubles and 15 rubles were added to them after the reform). Under this emperor, a gold coin of 100 francs, which corresponded to 37.50 rubles, was also minted in Russia for a long time.
As for silver coins, during this time coins were issued ranging from 5 kopecks to 1 ruble. Copper coins were minted: 1/4 kopeck, 1/2 kopeck, as well as 1 kopeck, 2 kopecks, 3 kopecks, 5 kopecks. In addition, a silver coronation ruble was issued in 1896, a commemorative ruble in honor of the opening of the monument to Emperor Alexander II, and a silver commemorative ruble in honor of the monument to Alexander III. In honor of the reign of the House of Romanov (300th anniversary) and the anniversary of the victory over Napoleon (100th anniversary), silver coins were also issued. Especially valuable for numismatists are the Gangut ruble, donation coins (issued for the emperor’s fund), gold imperials, and also semi-imperials. These are very rare coins and are rarely found at auctions.
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 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, 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 became the most significant date during the reign of Nicholas 2. For this celebration, it 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 mint treasury. 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. Weight reduction precious metals or trial is a common practice during monetary reforms. This allows you to get 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 the donated (gift) coins, we can distinguish a completely unusual, unparalleled gold coin with a denomination 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 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'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.
And in Soviet time, 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 tsar. 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 Russian ruble freely and so willingly received 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. As of the beginning of the First World War, the state gold reserve Russian Empire was 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?
