Russia 1870-SP NI 3 rubles
This specimen was lot 52568 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Pittsburgh, PA, August 2023), where it sold for $4,080. The catalog description[1] noted, "RUSSIA. 3 Rubles, 1870-CNB HI. St. Petersburg Mint. Alexander II. PCGS MS-62. One of the finer examples of the type that one will likely encounter, this Mint State specimen offers a high degree of brilliance and elegant golden-orange color." This type is listed for 1869-85 and is fairly common in circulated condition. It superseded a platinum three rubles of 1828-45. In 1886, the five rubles was revised to match the French twenty francs d'or, resulting in a weight reduction to .186 troy oz, and the three rubles was terminated.
Recorded mintage: 200,000.
Specification: 3.92 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-164; KM-Y26; Bit-32.
- 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.
- Harris, Robert P., Guidebook of Russian Coins, 1725 to 1970, Santa Cruz, CA: Bonanza Press, 1971.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2023 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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