Rarity according to the condition of the coins of Nicholas II. Where did the money of Nicholas II go?
The reign of Nicholas II went down in history as a very turbulent period. The revolutionary movements that originated under Alexander III gained strength until they led to the Revolution of 1905. This time the uprising was suppressed. To avoid new unrest, several reforms were adopted regarding freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the establishment of the State Duma. But all this only contributed to the strengthening of popular movements. In 1914, new interstate alliances led to Russia's entry into the First World War. The opposition took advantage of the weakening of the economy and power, and at the beginning of 1917 the February Revolution occurred, during which Nicholas II abdicated the throne. In March, the Provisional Government came to power. A year and a half later, in July 1918, the emperor was shot in Yekaterinburg along with his family.
There were also many changes in the coinage of this time. In 1895-1898, a monetary reform was carried out under the leadership of S.Yu. Witte, during which the basis money circulation the gold ruble becomes (before this, silver was considered the main one). The weight of gold coins is reduced by one and a half times. In 1897, coins of the old weight were minted for the last time, but with an increased denomination (15 and 7.5 rubles). In 1915-1916, due to the difficult economic situation, it was planned to introduce lightweight cupro-nickel coins denominations from 3 to 25 kopecks; lower denominations were to remain copper, but one and a half times lighter. The issue of introducing steel money was even considered. All developed versions remained trial ones and are now highly valued among collectors.
Monetary reform S.Yu. Witte meant reducing the weight of gold coins by one and a half times. Experiments with the development of new monetary units (imperial and rus) were not successful; the imperial remained a counting concept equal to 15, and not 10 rubles as before. To simplify calculations and prepare the population for the new money, in 1897, coins of non-standard denominations of 15 and 7.5 rubles were issued in multi-million circulations. 15 rubles has two varieties, differing in the displacement of the inscription relative to the portrait.
Possibly the most famous gold coin Russian Empire with a portrait of Nicholas II and a coat of arms on the reverse side with a denomination of 10 rubles, it became one of the symbols of autocracy. A huge number of them were issued, so these coins became the main item for treasures of the times Civil War. It was minted annually from 1898 to 1904, then in 1906, 1909, 1910 and 1911. According to unofficial information, they could have been produced in the 1920s for international payments.
Gold 5 rubles with a portrait of Nicholas II and a double-headed eagle were minted from 1898 to 1911, except for 1905 and 1908. The 1907 coins are of great value due to a very limited mintage (a little over 100 pieces). There is a pattern on the edge, with the exception of some issues with a smooth edge. The neck trim contains the engraver's initials.
Rubles, like other large silver coins, under Nicholas II had the same design, weight and fineness as under Alexander III, but with a portrait of the new emperor. Minted annually from 1895 to 1915. Before 1902 and in 1913 they had several variants, differing in the designations on the edge. Among the issues of 1896-1899 there are examples of foreign coinage with one and two stars, or with ticks.
50-kopeck coins of the Nikolaev era had the same design as rubles: a portrait of Nicholas II in profile on one side, the coat of arms and denomination on the other. They were minted every year except 1905. Onets of 1896-1899 were issued not only in St. Petersburg, but also abroad; these have markings in the form of stars or birds on the edge instead of the initials of the mintzmeister.
Since 1901, the production of 20-kopeck coins of the 1867 model from bilon (500 standard) silver has been resumed. Their minting continued until the beginning of 1917. In addition to the designation of the mint, the coins bear the initials of the mintmaster - FZ, AR, EB and BC. Since 1915 designation mint(letters SPB) are missing.
Coins in denomination of 15 kopecks were issued from 1896 to the beginning of 1917, except for 1910, according to the 1867 model. Some copies with the date "1916" were minted at the Osaka Mint (Japan); they do not have the initials of the mintmaster under the eagle. Since 1915, the designation of the mint (the letters SPB) has been absent.
Issued annually in 1895-1917 according to the 1867 model from 500 silver, coin weight - 1.8 grams. Under the eagle are the initials of the mintzmeister: the letters AG, EB, FZ, AR and BC. Since 1915, the designation of the mint (the letters SPB) has been absent. Some of the copies with the date "1916" were minted at the Osaka Mint (Japan), they do not have the initials of the mintmaster under the eagle.
Silver nickels weighing 0.9 grams of the 1867 sample under Nicholas II were minted from 1897 to 1915, except for 1907. Copper coins of this denomination exist only with the dates "1911", "1912" (letters "SPB") and "1916", " 1917" (without letters), they are made according to the 1867 model.
Half-kopeck coins with the monogram of Nicholas II were issued in 1894-1900 and in 1908-1916, until 1915 they were marked with the mint mark. Among the coins of 1895 there is a rare monogram variant, which has three petals in the upper curls of the letter “H”.
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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 were even minted in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 25 kopecks. However, the reform did not take place. However, today these coins are sometimes found at numismatic auctions.
During the First World War, in 1916, Tsarist Russia experienced an acute shortage of copper. To reduce the 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 1916, then valued 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 I, 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, a pleasant event happened in the royal family: 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 later tickets in denominations 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. Change monetary system and accumulation in deposit boxes metal money 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 fact 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, half coins, money, 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 in the type of double eagles.
PS: Ring coins are rare due to the very small circulation; the smaller the denomination, 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. per 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 a decrease 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 do this by both the numerous counterfeits of paper money (by 1800, the cost of buying back counterfeit 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 assignat 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, he 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 it was then believed, would make up for the shortage of 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 were made banknotes made of thin cardboard with teeth. Money stamps were printed on machines that used to produce postage 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 is 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 some amount of silver and gold remains 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 kop. The total was 24 rubles. 24 kopecks out of the blue, but in case precious metals it will turn out a little more, 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 front side, in the corners were depicted double-headed eagles with three crowns. 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. This is the most rare 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 additional sign sovereignty of a 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 of the mark was equal to the amount of silver in the French franc and 1/4 of the 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 there 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).
Born in 1868. Son of Alexander 3.
Under Nicholas 2, what happens in Russia economic development Russia and at the same time, socio-political contradictions are growing, leading to the revolution of 1905-1907 and the February Revolution of 1917.
In 1905 - "Bloody Sunday"". The shooting of St. Petersburg workers who went to Nicholas 2 with a petition about workers' needs.
In 1914 the First world war, the state of the country worsened, the authority of Nicholas 2 was falling.
In February 1917, an uprising broke out in Petrograd. On March 2, 1917, Nicholas 2 abdicated the throne.
In April 1918 he was shot.
1/4 kopeck 1900
Copper. Weight - 0.82 g.
Diameter - 13.2 mm.
Circulation - 4,000,000 pcs.
Coins were issued in 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1909, 1910 and 1915.
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1/2 kopeck 1915
Copper. Weight - 1.64 g.
Diameter - 16.2 mm.
Circulation - 12,000,000 pcs.
On the obverse, the monogram of Nicholas 2 was minted, instead of a double-headed eagle.
Minted from 1895 to 1900 and from 1908 to 1916.
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Kopek 1900
Copper. Weight - 3.28 g. 
Diameter - 21.7 mm.
Circulation - 30,000,000 pcs.
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2 kopecks 1900
Copper. Weight - 6.55 g.
Diameter - 24.2 mm.
Circulation - 20,500,000 pcs.
The coin design appeared in 1867 under Alexander 2
Minted annually from 1895 to 1916.
A bowl of buckwheat porridge cost 2 kopecks.
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3 kopecks 1899
(trynka, treshnikov)
Copper. Weight - 9.83 g.
Diameter - 28 mm.
Circulation - 11,666,667 pcs.
They were also produced annually from 1895 to 1916 in large quantities.
In Moscow, in a cheap tavern, cabbage soup with meat cost 3 kopecks.
A kilogram of table salt cost the same 3 kopecks.
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5 kopecks 1900
Silver 500 standard.
Weight - 0.90 g.
Diameter - 15.1 mm.
Circulation - 4,003,009 pcs.
For 5 kopecks - a kilogram of old harvest potatoes, fresh ones cost 15 kopecks.
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5 kopecks 1916
(Penny, nickel)
Copper. Weight - 16.38 g.
Diameter - 32.4 mm.
Circulation - 8,000,000 pcs.
They were manufactured over three years - in 1911, 1912 and 1916.
A loaf of rye bread cost 4 kopecks.
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10 kopecks 1900
Silver 500 standard.
Weight - 1.80 g.
Diameter - 17.5 mm.
Circulation - 14,000,009 pcs.
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15 kopecks 1900
(five kopecks)
Silver 500 standard.
Weight - 2.70 g.
Diameter - 19.7 mm.
Circulation - 12,665,009 pcs.
“Here they are - two five-altyn, and I’m sober” — “At the Bottom” by M. Gorky.
A glass of vodka cost 7-10 kopecks.
A liter of fresh milk cost 14 kopecks.
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20 kopecks 1917
Silver 500 standard.
Weight - 3.60 g.
Diameter - 22 mm.
Circulation - 3,500,000 pcs.
A kilogram of pasta is 20 kopecks.
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25 kopecks 1900
900 silver.
Weight - 5.00 g.
Diameter - 23 mm.
Circulation - 584,004 pcs.
“Women and girls carry bricks to the station and load the cars and receive a quarter a day for this” - “In the Ravine” by A.P. Chekhov.
A kilogram of cottage cheese - 25 kopecks.
A kilogram of granulated sugar is 25 kopecks.
A kilogram of fresh bream - 24 kopecks.
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50 kopecks 1900
(fifty kopecks, half kopecks)
900 silver.
Weight - 10.00 g.
Diameter - 26.75 mm.
Circulation - 3,360,004 pcs.
The letters on the obverse "BM" mean "By the Grace of God."
A liter of sunflower oil - 40 kopecks.
A kilogram of tomatoes costs 45 kopecks.
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Ruble 1895
900 silver.
Weight - 20.00 g.
Diameter - 33.65 mm
Circulation - 1,100,002 pcs.
A kilogram of frozen sturgeon -90 kopecks.
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5 rubles 1897
(Golden, semi-imperial)
900 gold.
Weight - 4.30 g.
Diameter - 18.5 mm
Circulation - 5,372,000 pieces.
By the end of the 19th century "Golden" steel
call ten-ruble.
“Still, I’ll get a hundred half-imperials from you” - "Mad Money" Ostrovsky)
Ticket to the Bolshoi Theater - 4 rubles. 50 kopecks
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7 rubles 50 kopecks 1897
900 gold.
Weight - 6.45 g.
Diameter - 21.3 mm
Circulation - 16,829,000 pieces.
The worker's salary is from 7 to 14 rubles per month.
Cow boots – 5 rubles.
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10 rubles 1898
(Imperial, Arabchik, Lobanchik)
900 gold.
Weight - 8.6 g.
Diameter - 22.5 mm
Circulation - 200,000 pcs.
Imperial- means imperial.
Lobanchik- according to the equivalent French gold, which depicted the head of the king of the Bourbon dynasty. Probably very big-headed.
About Arabic- history is silent, and even more so I am.
“Why do we need to move all our foreheads from wallet to wallet?” (Interesting men)" Leskov
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15 rubles 1897
900 gold.
Weight - 12.90 g.
Diameter - 24.6 mm
Circulation - 11,900,033 pcs.
After 1897, “Imperial” began to cost 15 rubles.
A clerk in a store received 15-30 rubles a month.
A long coat cost 15 rubles.
Cash cow - from 60 rubles.
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Coins of Nicholas 2 for Finland
Finland joined Russia in September 1809 and was recognized by Alexander 2 as an autonomous republic.
1 penny 1915
Copper. Weight - 1.28 g.
Diameter - 15 mm.
Circulation - 2,250,000 pcs.
Russian-Finnish coins began to be minted in 1864.
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5d 1897
Copper. Weight - 6.4 g.
Diameter - 25 mm.
Circulation - 592,210 pcs.
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10 pennies 1900
Copper. Weight - 12.8 g.
Diameter - 30 mm.
Circulation - 522,533 pcs.
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25d 1897
750 silver.
Weight - 1.27 g.
Diameter - 16 mm.
Circulation - 450,172 pcs.
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50 penny 1908
750 silver.
Weight - 2.54 g.
Diameter - 18.5 mm.
Circulation - 353,436 pcs.
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1 mark 1907
868 sterling silver.
Weight - 5.18 g.
Diameter - 24.0 mm.
Circulation - 348,136 pcs. Weight - 10.36 g.
Diameter - 27.5 mm.
Circulation - 25,543 pcs.
The coin depicts a Russian double-headed eagle with three crowns, and on the chest is the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
The 2 mark coin was minted from 1905 to 1908.
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10 marks 1904
900 gold. Weight - 6.45 g.
Diameter - 21.3 mm.
Circulation - 112,012 pcs.
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During the First World War, Germany, having captured the western regions of Russia, was forced to solve the problems of providing money to the population of these territories and organize the issuance of its own occupation money. And after the February Revolution in Russia, despite the presence of tsarist and Provisional Government money in the area, occupation money made up the bulk of money in circulation.
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1 kopeck 1916
Metal - steel.
Weight - 2.9 g.
Diameter - 21.5 mm.
Circulation - 7,700,000 pcs.
The inscription reads" area of the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Front«.
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2 kopecks 1916
Metal - steel
Mass -: 5.7 g.
Diameter - 24 mm.
Circulation - 6,100,000 pcs.
Coins were minted in Hamburg and Berlin.
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3 kopecks 1916
Metal - steel
Weight - 8.7 g.
Diameter - 28 mm.
Circulation - 7,100,000 pcs.
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) .
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10 kopecks. |
How much money did the royal family have? Estimates vary: from such that the Romanovs were richest people of their time to such an extent that they had to economize. In any case, I wonder where the royal family’s money went after the revolution.
The richest saint
In 2012 American portal Celebrity Net Worth has compiled a ranking of the twenty-five richest people of the millennium. In this ranking, Nicholas II was in fifth place in general list. Celebrity Net Worth estimated his fortune at $300 billion (in modern money terms). Since the royal family was canonized, Nicholas II is listed in the ranking as “the richest saint.”
Let’s make a reservation right away that the American portal does not provide any documents confirming the capital of Nicholas II of 900 million dollars (before recalculation). So let's check the numbers ourselves.
Searching for incriminating evidence
After the February Revolution, one of the first tasks of the Provisional Government was to discredit the royal family. It was necessary to tell the people how free and luxurious the life of the tsar and his family was, what fabulous capital lay in their foreign accounts.
The first head of the Provisional Government, Prince Georgy Lvov, took up the matter. The majority of Cabinet officials were loyal to the new government, so they didn’t have to search for long. In 1920, during interrogation in the case of the execution of the royal family, which was conducted by the investigator for especially important cases at the Omsk District Court Nikolai Sokolov, Prince Lvov recalled: “The question of the funds that belonged to the Royal Family was also resolved. The family, of course, had to live on their own personal funds. The government had to bear only those expenses that were caused by its own activities addressed to the Family. Their personal funds were found out. They turned out to be small.
In one of the foreign banks, counting all the Family’s funds, there were 14 million rubles. They had nothing else."
In the book by historian Igor Zimin “Tsar’s Money. Income and expenses of the Romanov family” the following breakdown is given: On May 1, 1917, the royal family had: in interest-bearing securities - 12,110,600 rubles; on current accounts - 358,128 rubles 27 kopecks, in cash - 3083 rubles. 42 kopecks. Total amount: 12,471,811 rubles 69 kopecks. At the dollar exchange rate of that time (1/11) - 1.13 million dollars.
Anonymous reports
In August 1917, a book by an anonymous author, “The Fall of the Romanovs,” was published in Petrograd. The identity of the anonymous person has not been established, but it is obvious that he was close to the commissioner of the Provisional Government Golovin, who was responsible for clarifying information about the capital of the royal family.
This book contains the following figures for the personal funds of the august family: Nicholas II - 908,000 rubles; Alexandra Fedorovna – 1,006,400 rubles; Tsesarevich - 1,425,700 rubles; Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna – 3,185,500 rubles: Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaevna – 2,118,500 rubles; Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna - 1,854,430 rubles; Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna – 1,612,500 rubles. Total: 12,111,030 rubles.
As you can see, the royal family did not have any millions of dollars according to these calculations, although the author of “The Fall of the Romanovs” also wrote about mysterious accounts in foreign banks. What kind of bills are these?
Accounts in foreign banks
Did the royal family have accounts in foreign banks? It is better to look for the answer to this question in the works of researchers, and not on American sites with dubious data sources.
The most serious study on this topic was carried out by the British historian and financier City William Clark, author of the bestseller “ Lost Treasures kings."
He found out that the family of Alexander III kept large sums in the Bank of England. Nikolai Alexandrovich, who ascended the throne in 1894, decided to close foreign accounts for an obvious reason: the country at that time was forced to resort to foreign borrowing, which resulted in a rather absurd situation: the tsar gave money to the Russian Empire at a substantial interest rate. At that time, closing an account and transferring funds was not an easy task, so the process took as long as six years.
Historian Oleg Budnitsky, who was searching for information about the tsar’s accounts in foreign banks, found a folder in one of the English archives with the telling title “On the foreign properties of the late emperor.” It contained stories on this topic from people who were directly related to the finances of the Russian Empire.
Prince Sergei Gagarin, who worked in the Ministry of the Court, said: “During the unrest in Russia in 1905-1906, by order of the Minister of the Imperial Court, sums belonging to the august children of the Sovereign Emperor were transferred abroad in the amount of, it seems, about 4-4.5 million rubles These funds were formed by accumulating allocations allocated, according to the basic laws, for the maintenance of the children of the reigning emperor. This money was deposited in Mendelssohn’s banking house in Berlin.”
Gagarin, therefore, directly says that in 1905 Nicholas II transferred funds intended for children abroad.
One of the managers of the funds of the Russian emigration, attache to the USA Uget, also wrote about the accounts in Mendelssohn’s German bank: “As far as I know, only the Mendelssohns in Berlin had small deposits in Russian interest-bearing securities made by the empress in the name of each of her children. If I’m not mistaken, the nominal amount of each deposit was 250,000 rubles.”
"Anastasia" and the commission
The question of the foreign accounts of Nicholas II was forced to be raised already in the 20s, in connection with the appearance in Germany of the first “Anastasia”, who started talking about money allegedly owed to her.
The Russian emigration was excited by this “resurrection.” There were many former officials and associates of the august family in Europe. In the end, it was decided to convene a commission and once and for all come to an agreement on a sensitive issue.
Such a commission was assembled on February 26, 1929. Her verdict was unequivocal: “The Emperor and his august family did not have any property abroad, except for the small capital of the Emperor’s daughters, about one million marks each, in the Mendelssohn Bank in Berlin.”
Former adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Boris Nolde emphasized that in connection with the First World War, “these amounts were sequestered and then, unclaimed, were probably subject to all the consequences of inflation and turned into nothing.”
In March 1930, the minutes of this meeting were published in the Paris newspaper Renaissance.
Heirs
In 1934, the court of the Central District of Berlin also recognized the heirs of the royal money. They were the Grand Duchesses Ksenia and Olga, Countess Brasova, and relatives of the late princesses along the line of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
As Boris Nolde said, inflation has devalued deposits. The court issued official documents for the right of inheritance only four years after the determination of the heirs, in 1938. The amount turned out to be truly ridiculous: less than 25 thousand pounds. Divided among all the heirs, these funds represented almost nothing. Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna did not even take the share due to her.