Russia 1873-SP HI 3 rubles
This specimen was lot 41350 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2019), where it sold for $9,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "Tied for the Finest Certified of the Date. RUSSIA. 3 Ruble, 1873-CNB HI. NGC MS-64. Entirely radiant with razor sharp detail in the eagle design and unblemished satiny luster on both sides that illuminates the surfaces. A VERY RARE date in this near-Gem quality, presently equaled in certified quality by only two others with none finer in either the NGC or PCGS population reports." 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 It superseded a platinum three rubles of 1828-45.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: 77,000, a low mintage date but no premium in the SCWC.
Specification: 3.92 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-163; Y-B26; Bit-21.
- 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.
- Harris, Robert P., Guidebook of Russian Coins, 1725 to 1970, Santa Cruz, CA: Bonanza Press, 1971.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, Matt Orsini and Cris Chatigny, The January 2019 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
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