Poland 1840-SP AC 20 zlotych
This specimen was lot 34168 in Heritage sale 3106 (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $9,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "Poland: Nicholas I of Russia gold 20 Zlotych (3 Roubles) 1840 СПБ-АЧ MS60 NGC, St. Petersburg mint. The final and lowest-mintage year of this type, and the second rarest vintage across this denomination. The offering displays bold devices, interrupted only by the typical wisps, all wrapped in substantial original bloom. Still, this problem-free state of preservation is conditionally quite laudable. Overall, a rare example that we expect to garner much enthusiasm in the burgeoning market for Polish numismatics. From the GK Collection." Despite Russian promises of autonomy, the czar found the Poles to be the most obstreperous of all his subjects. Major rebellions occurred in 1831 and 1863. This issue was struck 1834-40 in St. Petersburg with various mintmasters. Twenty złotych equaled three rubles. Russian coinage for Poland ended in 1850.
Recorded mintage: 5,473 of C136.3 (assayer ПД) plus 26 of C136.1 (assayer АЧ).
Specification: 3.89 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM-C136.1, Fr-111.
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2023 January 17 - 18 NYINC World & Ancient Coins Signature Auction #3106, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2022.
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