Russia 1835-SP 3 rubles
This specimen was lot 31577 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $1,740. The catalog description[1] noted, "Nicholas I platinum 3 Roubles 1835-CПБ XF40 NGC, St. Petersburg mint. Obv. Crowned doubled-headed Imperial eagle. Rev. Date and value in circle. Abundant original mint luster, with light contact marks on both sides." This type 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 of three, six and twelve rubles 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: 139,000, highest mintage date.
Specification: 10.35 g, platinum.
Catalog reference: KM-C177, Bit-81 (R), Fr-160.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
- 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.
- 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.
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