Russia 1860-SP PF 5 rubles
This specimen was lot 4434 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $19,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "RUSSIA. 5 Rubles, 1860. St. Petersburg Mint. Alexander II. PCGS MS-65. This Russian stunner is a true head turner. A strong strike impresses a wealth of exceptional detail on delicate mirrorlike fields. Even under a loupe, finding any flaw on the Gem is an arduous task. This example is at the apex of the population reports, with no other specimen from either PCGS or NGC surpassing an MS-65. From the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection." This type is listed for 1859-85 and is fairly common in circulated condition. In 1886, the standard was revised to match the French twenty francs d'or, resulting in a weight reduction to .186 troy oz (see KM Y42).
Recorded mintage: 3,600,000.
Specification: 6.54 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-163; KM-YB26; Bit-6.
- 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.
- 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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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