Russia 1981-MMA chervonetz
This specimen was lot 33733 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $480. The catalog description[1] noted, "R.S.F.S.R. gold Chervonetz (10 Roubles) 1981-(M) MS67 NGC, Moscow mint. A dazzling gem with gleaming luster and sharp eye appeal." The first chervonetz was issued in 1923 as an attempt by the new Communist regime to win international respect by issuing a strong gold coinage. The coin was issued to the standard of the old czarist ten rubles (KM Y64, issued 1898-1911) but was a failure. Many years later, in 1975, the Russian government tried again with this coin, which was struck 1975-82 in some numbers and sold and traded as a bullion coin. None are known to have circulated at their nominal face value of ten rubles.
Recorded mintage: 1,000,000.
Specification: 8.60 g, 0.900 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM-Y85, Fr-181a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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