Russia 1830-SP 3 rubles
This specimen was lot 3615 in Künker sale 406 (Osnabrück, March 2024), where it sold for €3,600 (about US$4,724 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"RUSSLAND, KAISERREICH, Nikolaus I. 1825-1855. 3 Rubel Platin 1830, St. Petersburg. PLATIN. Winz. Randfehler, fast vorzüglich. Exemplar der Auktion Kölner Münzkabinett 15, Köln 1974, Nr. 932. (empire of Russia, Nicholas I, 1825-55, platinum three rubles of 1830, St. Petersburg mint. Minor edge flaws, about extremely fine.)"
This type was struck 1828-45 and is the most available of the platinum denominations of three, six and twelve rubles. So far as is known, Russia is the only country ever to attempt to strike platinum for circulation with this series issued 1829-45. The experiment was not a success as the metal is as hard as nickel, making it difficult to strike, and its price kept dropping relative to gold, discounting the value of the coin. In fact, platinum was used extensively by counterfeiters in the nineteenth century to make fake gold coins as the metal has nearly the same density.
Recorded mintage: 106,000.
Specification: 10.35 g, platinum, this specimen 10.31 g.
Catalog reference: KM C177, Bitkin 75 (R); Fr-160; Schl. 95.
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- Harris, Robert P., Guidebook of Russian Coins, 1725 to 1970, Santa Cruz, CA: Bonanza Press, 1971.
- 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]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 406: Gold Coins | Coins and Medals from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. Löwenstein-Wertheim | German Coins after 1871, a. o. Patterns from the Coenen Collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
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