Circulation of coins of Nicholas 2. These rubles are held in high esteem by every public

The monetary reform of the last Emperor of Russia left a legacy of a large number of rare and interesting examples of minted money. Gold and silver coins of Nicholas 2 are in great demand among collectors and numismatists.

Despite the fact that they were minted in large quantities, their cost is very high. The price for some individual copies can reach hundreds of thousands of conventional units.

gold standard

Witte's monetary reform strengthened the Russian currency. Minted gold literally replaced paper money. The demand for gold coins of Nicholas 2 was so great that part of the orders for the issue was transferred abroad. Russian money was minted by the Brussels and Paris Mints.

A number of collectible and gift coins were issued. There were also specimens of completely strange denominations - 15 rubles and 7.5 rubles.

It is noteworthy that a 100-franc Nicholas II coin was issued for Russia. At the exchange rate of that time, this corresponded to 37.5 rubles.

Among the money of that era there are less expensive specimens. For example, a silver ruble coin of Nicholas II, issued in 1898. This is a treasure hunter's cherished dream. Although a lot of such money was minted, they have tangible differences. In fact, they are what make an inexpensive silver coin so desirable.

What coins were in use?

1. Imperial and semi-imperial. The circulation was very small - 125 imperials and 36 semi-imperials per year. Both coins of Nicholas 2 are very rare. Some pieces are priced at $50,000, and individual coins in perfect condition from private collections are worth up to a quarter of a million dollars. What is noteworthy is that the price of semi-imperials, which were minted for only three years, is approximately the same.

The authentic imperial is marked with the inscription: “Imperi al” and weighs almost 13 grams of gold.

2. Chervonets and half. This money is often confused with imperials because they have the same denomination. However, chervonets and half rubles came out in a lighter version. A common practice for replenishing the state treasury with gold is to reduce its share in the coin. The weight of a chervonets and a half was equal to 8.6 and 4.3 grams, respectively. Now these coins are quite valuable, their cost is higher than gold.

3. Russians. This type of money was supposed to replace the usual ruble. This is what the reformers intended. However, the Russians were not destined to see the light. A total of five sets of coins were issued for five, ten and fifteen russ. Accordingly, such rare coins are highly valued. Their price can reach half a million dollars.

4. Unusual coins. The year 1897 was marked by the release of two strange types of coins - 15 rubles and 7.5 rubles. The fifteen-ruble coin weighed as much as an imperial, and the second one weighed half as much.

They came out in huge circulation, about 12 million and 17 million copies, respectively. The price of these coins is not very high, a little more than the price of gold in their composition - about 500 and 300 dollars, respectively.

Rare coins

Gold coins of Nicholas 2 in denominations of 5 and 10 rubles, minted in 1906, are an absolute rarity, since they came out in an edition of 10 copies. Their price today is up to 200 thousand dollars for a well-preserved coin.

In 1902, 100 francs were issued in Russia, equivalent to 37.5 rubles. This is a very atypical denomination.

There are several versions of creating this moment. According to some sources, it was minted in honor of Russian-French friendship. Other sources say it was intended for a casino. The first edition of one hundred francs is 225 copies, weight is just over 32 grams.

Of these, the Empress used 200 coins as gifts, 25 were received by Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich. Ten copies were issued in the second edition and the last one was minted for the Hermitage.

In the production of this money, 900-karat gold was used. It's not only rare banknotes, but also very beautiful. Auction price Such banknotes are estimated at 150,000 dollars.

Gift coins

This kind of money is also called donation money. They are issued as a gift and dedicated to certain dates. In 1896, a donative coin of Nicholas 2 in denomination of 25 rubles was minted in honor of the coronation of the Emperor.

The appearance of the product resembles a hundred French francs. Above the coat of arms there is an inscription that the weight of the coin is 2.5 imperials.

12 years later, to celebrate the emperor’s 40th birthday, another such coin was minted. These items are rare among numismatists; experts value them at approximately $180,000.

The last gold coin of Nicholas 2

The history of the solar metal coin of 10 rubles is shrouded in legends. Under Nicholas 2, golden chervonets were issued in huge quantities in all years except 1906. Coins were minted and released into the world.

Officially, approximately 50,000 copies of gold chervonets were issued in 1911, but there were many more on the market.

Money of this denomination was counterfeited very often, but remakes were in use that were completely identical to the original.

Experts have several versions:

• The foundations were stolen and taken out of Tsarist Russia on the eve or during the revolution.
• Kolchak appropriated the coinage, continuing to issue money for the needs of his army.
• Foreign craftsmen made copies of the basics and made remakes - fakes.
• The stamps remained in the country after the civil war. The government minted coins for foreign transactions since Soviet money was not recognized.

Invest in ancient coins much more profitable than making a regular purchase of gold from a bank. Such money is worth more than the gold it contains. Over time, these coins only become more expensive.

Numismatics in Tsarist Russia ceased to exist with the revolution of 1917. The political system fell, Emperor Nicholas 2 and his family were shot, and the country still for a long time There was real chaos.

However, before the last coin was minted with the stamp with the profile of Nicholas 2 Russian Empire, many interesting and rather strange events occurred in the world of numismatics, the consequences of which became the subject of close attention of collectors. Nicholas imperials, semi-imperials, famous gold tens, the last tsar's chervonets, commemorative and anniversary silver rubles, as well as incredible numismatic nonsense that appeared during the reign of the last Russian tsar - exactly about coins of Nicholas 2 Today we will talk.

Silver coins of Nicholas 2

Returning the Emperor's Profile to Coins

Starting with Peter the Great (1700-1725), in Tsarist Russia there was a tradition of minting the profile of the emperor or empress on silver and gold coins of large denominations (Polupoltina, Poltina, Ruble, etc.). This tradition existed for quite a long time, right up to Paul I (1796-1801). Latest coins with the profile of the Empress were minted in 1796. After the death of Empress Catherine 2 in 1796, Paul I ascended the throne, whose appearance no one liked, including himself. After Paul I did not approve a test ruble with his profile, the tradition of minting portrait coins ceased for a whole century. Only sometimes on commemorative coins issued in small editions did the profile of Alexander 1, Alexander 2 and Nicholas 1 appear.

During the reign of Alexander 3 (1881-1894), portraits of the emperor began to appear again on regularly minted coins. This happened for the first time in 1886. Then portraits of Alexander 3 were minted on silver coins ah large denomination, starting from 25 kopecks. Portraits were not applied to coins of lower denominations, since it was believed that they were used by the “rabble”. The portrait of the king should not be in servile pockets and fall into callous, dirty hands.

Nicholas 2 finally revived the tradition of minting portrait coins of large denominations, starting with the coronation ruble. All gold and silver coins of Nicholas 2, starting from 25 kopecks they became portrait ones.

Anniversary and commemorative coins of Nicholas 2

During the reign of Nicholas 2, several silver jubilee and commemorative coins, entered into the history of numismatics. Among them, one can particularly highlight the memorable coronation ruble 1896.

The portrait for the coronation ruble was made by the artist Anton Vasyutinsky, who had the opportunity to create portraits of the last tsar, and after the revolution, portraits of Lenin for Soviet coins and medals.

The circulation of the silver coronation ruble was 190 thousand copies, minted by May 1896 and awarded to all coronation participants. They were kept carefully and passed on as a memory from generation to generation. Therefore, quite a lot of coronation rubles have survived to this day in perfect condition. In connection with this, cost of the coronation ruble of Nicholas 2 today it is only no more than 400-500 dollars, although in some cases, for example, if the coin is in perfect condition, its price reaches up to 2 thousand dollars.

Also stands out from the total mass commemorative ruble 1898 made of silver for the opening of the monument to Alexander 2 in Moscow in 1893. The circulation of the coin was 5 thousand copies, repeating the small medal by A. Grhilis Jr., who cut out large and small medals with a portrait of Alexander 3 on the front side, and on the reverse side - a statue of Alexander 2, installed in the new pavilion of the Kremlin memorial. The cost of the commemorative ruble of 1898 today it is 3-4 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 12 thousand dollars.

It was minted and put into circulation in 1912. silver commemorative ruble and several medals in honor of the opening of a large monument to Alexander 3 near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The circulation of this commemorative ruble was 2 thousand copies. Average silver ruble value, dedicated to the opening of the monument to Alexander 3, today amounts to 7-12 thousand dollars, sometimes reaching 22 thousand dollars.

Both monuments were subsequently destroyed, and their images remained only on commemorative rubles and medals.

The centenary of the victory over Napoleon has become the most significant date during the reign of Nicholas 2. For this celebration was released silver anniversary ruble, minted with stamps by M. Skudnov with the inscription “This glorious year has passed, but the deeds accomplished in it will not pass away.”

The exact mintage of the issue is unknown, but in 1912 about 40 thousand coins were minted, in addition, the minting of a silver commemorative ruble dedicated to the centenary of the victory over Napoleon continued in 1913. Price this commemorative coin on average is 1-1.5 thousand dollars, reaching in some cases up to 5 thousand dollars.

In 1913, the 300th anniversary of the Imperial House of Romanov was celebrated, in honor of which they were also minted and put into circulation. silver anniversary rubles. The circulation of the 1913 anniversary ruble was so huge that today its auction price averages only 50-70 dollars and very rarely reaches 300 dollars.

In honor of the 200th anniversary of Russia's first naval victory at Gangut in 1714, a silver jubilee ruble was issued, known today as Gangut ruble. Also, in honor of this significant event, a military parade was supposed to take place, at which each participant would receive an anniversary Gangut ruble as a souvenir, but the First World War began and the parade did not take place. The Gangut ruble of 1914 was the last commemorative coin Tsarist Russia.

The stamps for the Gangut ruble were made by P. Stadnitsky. On one side of the Gangut ruble there is a portrait of Peter the Great minted, on the other there is a double-headed eagle holding in its beaks and paws four cards, which under Emperor Peter the Great represented the four Russian seas - the Azov, Baltic, White, Caspian, and under Emperor Nicholas II - the Baltic and White , Black and Pacific Ocean.

Initially, the circulation of the Gangut ruble was 30 thousand copies. 6 coins were reserved for especially important persons, including a coin prepared for transfer to the State Hermitage. There is also an assumption that several dozen more copies were set aside for gifts, and the remaining coins were sent to the mint treasury. After lying there for about a year, for a still unknown reason, the circulation was sent for melting down.

In 1916, another 300 copies of the Gangut ruble were minted. 135 were handed over to various officials, the rest were sent to the mint reserve. Currently Gangut rubles, appearing at auctions, are either copies of 1916 minting, or Soviet remakes of 1927, minted by order of the Soviet Philatelic Association. Soviet remakes are very difficult to distinguish from the originals.

Gangut ruble value today it can be 5-7 thousand dollars. However, there are copies that cost up to 42 thousand dollars.

Gold coins of Nicholas 2

Rus, imperials and semi-imperials

The weight of a gold coin with a face value of 10 rubles before Nicholas 2 was 12.9 grams. After the Nikolaev monetary reform, the weight of a gold coin with a face value of 10 rubles was reduced by one and a half times and amounted to 8.6 grams. Weight reduction precious metals or trial is a common practice during monetary reforms. This allows you to receive additional income to the state treasury.

It was during those years that an attempt was made to change the name national currency Russian Empire. Instead of the name “ruble” it was planned to introduce the name “ rus" In preparation for the reform, test coins were minted in denominations of 5, 10 and 15 russ. There are five trial sets of three coins in total. However, Nicholas 2 did not approve the Rus, and therefore the circulation was not minted. Today, Rus are extremely rare coins.

Of the five minted test sets of Rus, three sets are in museums, one set is broken into parts, and only one private collection has full set Rusov, consisting of three coins. At one of the American numismatic auctions held several years ago, a complete set of Rus was sold for 200 thousand dollars. Today such a kit can cost even more, around 350 – 500 thousand dollars.

During the Nikolaev monetary reform, in 1895-1897, gold coins of different weights were minted. For example, in the new lightweight “Nikolaev” weight, gold 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks were minted, in the old, “Alexandrovsky” weight, gold ones were minted imperials(10 rubles in gold) and half-imperials(5 rubles in gold).

Often, novice numismatists call ordinary Nikolaev coins with a denomination of 10 rubles imperials, but on the true imperial there is a corresponding inscription - “Imperial”. Real imperials were minted for three years, from 1895 to 1897, with an annual circulation of 125 imperials. In fact, in numismatic circles, this is not so little, but for some unknown reason these coins disappear somewhere, since they appear very rarely at numismatic auctions. Today cost of imperials fluctuates around 45 - 50 thousand dollars, and sometimes reaches 250 thousand dollars. In many ways, this price range can be explained by the dependence of the coin’s value on its condition. Coins in UNC condition are much more valuable.

Semi-imperials also issued for three years, from 1895 to 1897. However, their circulation was much smaller and amounted to 36 copies annually. Semi-imperials are found in collection circulation even less frequently than imperials, but, as a rule, at the same price as imperials. Human psychology is to blame here, and collectors are no exception - a larger coin should cost more.

Unusual coin 7 rubles 50 kopecks

In 1897, coins of a very unusual denomination for Tsarist Russia were minted and put into circulation - 15 rubles and 7 rubles 50 kopecks. Moreover, the weight of the 15 ruble coin of 1897 was equal to the weight of the old “Alexandrovsky” coin with a face value of 10 rubles. The circulation of 15 rubles in 1897 was 12 million copies, and the coins of 7 rubles 50 kopecks in 1897 were almost 17 million copies.

Price These coins are small today - 15 rubles are valued at around $400, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks are valued at around $300. But there were cases when 15 rubles of 1897 were sold at auction for $2,500, and 7 rubles 50 kopecks of 1897 for $900 or even more. Again, it all depends on the condition of the coin.

Rare coins of Nicholas 2

Among the rare coins of Nicholas 2, the following stand out: 10 rubles 1906, the circulation of which, according to official documents, was only 10 copies. Of course, this coin is rare and expensive, its auction price can be 15-20 thousand dollars, and at one of the auctions of the Russian Numismatic House, a copy of this coin in PROOF condition was sold for 200 thousand dollars.

Of undoubted interest are gold donative (gift) coins with a face value of 25 rubles - 2.5 imperials of 1896 and 1908. These coins were minted for the personal gift fund of Nicholas 2. The dates of their minting suggest that 25 rubles of 1896 were minted specifically for the coronation, and 25 rubles of 1908 for the 40th anniversary of Nicholas 2. In their size, donation coins resembled the popular one in those days. years, a French gold coin with a face value of 100 francs.

The weight of a gold coin with a face value of 25 rubles is 32.26 grams, which is equal to the weight of gold in two and a half tens of the “Alexandrovsky” sample. For 25 rubles of 1896, this weight is quite normal, then there was a reform, but for 25 rubles of 1908 this weight is already a little strange. Price of donated coins can reach 120-170 thousand dollars.

Following the donated (gift) coins, we can highlight a completely unusual, unparalleled gold coin with a denomination 37 rubles 50 kopecks – 100 francs 1902. According to some assumptions, in this way Nicholas 2 wanted to commemorate the Franco-Russian union, but other part of numismatists are more inclined to believe that 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs were intended for use in the casino system.

This coin should be taken as Russian nonsense monetary system, and not as a coin for circulation. Today, the coin 37 rubles 50 kopecks - 100 francs 1902 is very rare, expensive and popular not only because of its rarity, but also because of its beauty. Auction price This coin can range from 40 to 150 thousand dollars.

The last royal gold piece of Nicholas II

The last royal gold Nicholas 2 chervonets(10 ruble coin) was minted and put into circulation in 1911. Ten-ruble coins in Tsarist Russia were minted in huge quantities almost every year, and, it seems, should not be of particular interest to numismatists.

However, as practice shows, official statistics on issue circulations in mint documents reflect the number of copies released from the mint, and not the number minted. Thus, the circulation indicated in the catalog may not correspond to the number of coins that were first in circulation and then entered into collectible circulation.

In the vast majority of cases, the numbers indicated in the catalogs reflect the truth - how many coins are minted, how many coins are put into circulation. But in such a situation, as in any other, there are exceptions. There are coins whose circulation according to the catalog was huge, but they are not found in circulation, and vice versa. This situation can be explained by the fact that mints issued coins that were minted earlier, but were not in demand, and as a result ended up in a warehouse and lay there for a year or even several years.

The last year of minting of royal gold coins, 1911, presented collectors with a large number of mysteries. Gold coins from this year of issue are very common, while the mintage indicated in the documents is very small. As a result, collectors are buying the last royal gold Nicholas 2 chervonets(symbol of the 20th century) at the price of gold spent on the issue of this coin.

The fact is that there are a large number of remakes and fakes of the last Tsar's golden chervonets of Nicholas II, model 1911. There are several legends among numismatists regarding their origin, but no serious research has been carried out regarding the origin of remakes and fakes of 1911. Such studies are carried out in cases where we're talking about about quite rare and expensive coins, to which the coin 10 rubles 1911 not applicable. Therefore, the practically worthless Nikolaev ten is shrouded in a complete veil of secrecy.

The stamps on the obverse and reverse sides of the 10 ruble coin of 1911 were clearly taken by someone from the mint. But who did it and when? There are three possible answers to this question:

1. The original stamps went to Kolchak, who massively minted gold chervonets of Nicholas II of the 1911 model.

2. Stamps fell into hands Soviet government, which in 1925-1927 issued 2 million gold tens for foreign trade, since the West refused to accept Soviet money.

3. The stamps may have been taken abroad, or new ones were made, and the gold tens were minted in the 20s. However, it is worth noting that these were no longer remakes, but counterfeit coins. But still, gold in the coins of Tsarist Russia is always more expensive than ordinary gold bullion, and therefore it is more profitable to sell it.

It is also necessary to add here that someone still uses stamps from 1911 to mint Nicholas II’s gold chervonets. But who is doing this is unknown. Minting royal tens from “left” gold is a very profitable business. Experts still encounter similar coins to this day. Of course, they can distinguish them from genuine ones, but it is worth noting that the weight and purity of gold are observed very precisely by scammers, as a result of which the coins are of very high quality.

Today coin value 10 rubles 1911 is 600-800 dollars, sometimes less, sometimes more. It all depends on the condition of the particular instance.

Trial coins of Nicholas 2

To reduce the cost of coin production, in 1911 the tsarist government planned to carry out a monetary reform and replace the silver coin with a copper-nickel one. Test copper-nickel coins in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 25 kopecks were even minted. However, the reform did not take place. However, today these coins are sometimes found at numismatic auctions.

During the First World War, in 1916, Tsarist Russia experienced an acute shortage of copper. To reduce the shortage of this non-ferrous metal, an attempt was made to carry out another monetary reform, which, however, never took place. During the reform, it was planned to reduce the weight of copper change coins in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks, and the resulting copper would be used for the needs of the army and navy. Test pieces were minted, which are very rare today. However, things did not go further; the revolution that took place in the country did not allow the government to carry out this reform.

At one of the numismatic auctions of the Coins and Medals company several years ago, a lot of 6 copper coins from 1916 was presented, then estimated at 20-22 thousand dollars. Today's auction price each copy of these proof coins is 7-10 thousand dollars, and in some cases, when a particular example is in perfect condition, can reach 40 thousand dollars.

There was another, so-called “reform” in the early 30s of the last century. Then tsarist silver half rubles and rubles with an octagonal mark began to appear directly on the portrait of Nicholas 2 - “The Deposition of the House of Romanov.” These countermarks were stamped on genuine coins in a private, barbaric manner and, oddly enough, gained some popularity at auction. At one of the auctions held in Germany several years ago, where a coin with the barbaric mark “Dethronement of the House of Romanov” was exhibited, it was shown that its value could reach 2,500 German marks (approximately 1,250 euros).

Conclusion

Of course, not all coins of Nicholas 2 included in this review. I focused only on the most significant and important specimens from my point of view. If you start describing all the coins of that time, it could take a whole year. And so the review turned out to be quite large. And the period of the reign of the last Russian emperor has not yet been very well studied, so most discoveries have yet to be made. And some other time I will definitely return to the coins of Nicholas 2.

How much money did the royal family have? Estimates vary: from such that the Romanovs were richest people of their time to such an extent that they had to economize. In any case, I wonder where the royal family’s money went after the revolution.

The richest saint

In 2012, the American portal Celebrity Net Worth compiled a ranking of the twenty-five richest people of the millennium. In this ranking, Nicholas II was in fifth place in the overall list. Celebrity Net Worth estimated his fortune at $300 billion (in modern money terms). Since the royal family was canonized, Nicholas II is listed in the ranking as “the richest saint.”
Let’s make a reservation right away: the American portal does not provide any documents confirming the capital of Nicholas II of 900 million dollars (before recalculation). So let's check the numbers ourselves.

Searching for incriminating evidence

After the February Revolution, one of the first tasks of the Provisional Government was to discredit the royal family. It was necessary to tell the people about how free and luxurious the life of the tsar and his family was, what fabulous capital lay in their foreign accounts.

The first head of the Provisional Government, Prince Georgy Lvov, took up the matter. The majority of Cabinet officials were loyal to the new government, so they didn’t have to search for long. In 1920, during interrogation in the case of the execution of the royal family, which was conducted by the investigator for especially important cases at the Omsk District Court Nikolai Sokolov, Prince Lvov recalled: “The issue of funds belonging to the Royal Family was also resolved. The family, of course, had to live on their own personal funds. The government had to bear only those expenses that were caused by its own activities addressed to the Family. Their personal funds were found out. They turned out to be small.

In one of the foreign banks, counting all the Family’s funds, there were 14 million rubles. They had nothing else."

In the book by historian Igor Zimin “Tsar’s Money. Income and expenses of the Romanov family” the following breakdown is given: On May 1, 1917, the royal family had: in interest-bearing securities - 12,110,600 rubles; on current accounts - 358,128 rubles 27 kopecks, in cash - 3083 rubles. 42 kopecks. Total amount: 12,471,811 rubles 69 kopecks. At the dollar exchange rate of that time (1/11) - 1.13 million dollars.

Anonymous reports

In August 1917, a book by an anonymous author, “The Fall of the Romanovs,” was published in Petrograd. The identity of the anonymous person has not been established, but it is obvious that he was close to the commissioner of the Provisional Government Golovin, who was responsible for clarifying information about the capital of the royal family.

This book contains the following figures for the personal funds of the august family: Nicholas II - 908,000 rubles; Alexandra Fedorovna – 1,006,400 rubles; Tsesarevich - 1,425,700 rubles; Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna – 3,185,500 rubles: Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaevna – 2,118,500 rubles; Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna - 1,854,430 rubles; Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna – 1,612,500 rubles. Total: 12,111,030 rubles.

As you can see, the royal family did not have any millions of dollars according to these calculations, although the author of “The Fall of the Romanovs” also wrote about mysterious accounts in foreign banks. What kind of bills are these?

Accounts in foreign banks

Did the royal family have accounts in foreign banks? It is better to look for the answer to this question in the works of researchers, and not on American sites with dubious data sources.

The most serious study on this topic was carried out by the British historian and financier City William Clark, author of the bestseller “The Lost Treasures of the Kings.”

He found out that the family of Alexander III kept large sums in the Bank of England. Nikolai Alexandrovich, who ascended the throne in 1894, decided to close foreign accounts for an obvious reason: the country at that time was forced to resort to foreign borrowing, which resulted in a rather absurd situation: the tsar gave money to the Russian Empire at a substantial interest rate. At that time, closing an account and transferring funds was not an easy task, so the process took as long as six years.

Historian Oleg Budnitsky, who was searching for information about the tsar’s accounts in foreign banks, found a folder in one of the English archives with the telling title “On the foreign properties of the late emperor.” It contained stories on this topic from people who were directly related to the finances of the Russian Empire.

Prince Sergei Gagarin, who worked in the Ministry of the Court, said: “During the unrest in Russia in 1905-1906, by order of the Minister of the Imperial Court, sums belonging to the august children of the Sovereign Emperor were transferred abroad in the amount of, it seems, about 4-4.5 million rubles These funds were formed by accumulating allocations allocated, according to the basic laws, for the maintenance of the children of the reigning emperor. This money was deposited in Mendelssohn’s banking house in Berlin.”

Gagarin, therefore, directly says that in 1905 Nicholas II transferred funds intended for children abroad.

One of the managers of the funds of the Russian emigration, attache to the USA Huget, also wrote about the accounts in Mendelssohn’s German bank: “As far as I know, only the Mendelssohns in Berlin had small deposits in Russian interest-bearing securities made by the empress in the name of each of her children. If I’m not mistaken, the nominal amount of each deposit was 250,000 rubles.”

"Anastasia" and the commission

The question of the foreign accounts of Nicholas II was forced to be raised already in the 20s, in connection with the appearance in Germany of the first “Anastasia”, who started talking about money allegedly owed to her.

The Russian emigration was excited by this “resurrection.” There were many former officials and associates of the august family in Europe. In the end, it was decided to convene a commission and once and for all come to an agreement on a sensitive issue.

Such a commission was assembled on February 26, 1929. Her verdict was unequivocal: “The Emperor and his august family did not have any property abroad, except for the small capital of the Emperor’s daughters, about one million marks each, in the Mendelssohn Bank in Berlin.”

Former adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Boris Nolde emphasized that in connection with the First World War, “these sums were sequestered and then, unclaimed, were probably subject to all the consequences of inflation and turned into nothing.”

In March 1930, the minutes of this meeting were published in the Paris newspaper Renaissance.

Heirs

In 1934, the court of the Central District of Berlin also recognized the heirs of the royal money. They were the Grand Duchesses Ksenia and Olga, Countess Brasova, and relatives of the late princesses along the line of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

As Boris Nolde said, inflation has devalued deposits. The court issued official documents for the right of inheritance only four years after the determination of the heirs, in 1938. The amount turned out to be truly ridiculous: less than 25 thousand pounds. Divided among all the heirs, these funds represented almost nothing. Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna did not even take the share due to her.

The reign of Nicholas II went down in history as a very turbulent period. The revolutionary movements that originated under Alexander III gained strength until they led to the Revolution of 1905. This time the uprising was suppressed. To avoid new unrest, several reforms were adopted regarding freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the establishment of the State Duma. But all this only contributed to the strengthening of popular movements. In 1914, new interstate alliances led to Russia's entry into the First World War. The opposition took advantage of the weakening of the economy and power, and at the beginning of 1917 the February Revolution took place, during which Nicholas II abdicated the throne. In March, the Provisional Government came to power. A year and a half later, in July 1918, the emperor was shot in Yekaterinburg along with his family.
There were also many changes in the coinage of this time. In 1895-1898, a monetary reform was carried out under the leadership of S.Yu. Witte, during which the gold ruble became the basis of monetary circulation (before that, silver was considered the main one). The weight of gold coins is reduced by one and a half times. In 1897, coins of the old weight were minted for the last time, but with an increased denomination (15 and 7.5 rubles). In 1915-1916, due to the difficult economic situation, it was planned to introduce lightweight copper-nickel coins in denominations from 3 to 25 kopecks; lower denominations were to remain copper, but one and a half times lighter. The issue of introducing steel money was even considered. All developed versions remained trial ones and are now highly valued among collectors.

Monetary reform S.Yu. Witte meant reducing the weight of gold coins by one and a half times. Experiments with the development of new monetary units(imperial and rus) were not successful, imperial remained a counting concept equal to 15, and not 10 rubles as before. To simplify calculations and prepare the population for the new money, in 1897, coins of non-standard denominations of 15 and 7.5 rubles were issued in multi-million circulations. 15 rubles has two varieties, differing in the displacement of the inscription relative to the portrait.

Perhaps the most famous gold coin of the Russian Empire, with a portrait of Nicholas II and a coat of arms on the reverse side with a face value of 10 rubles, became one of the symbols of autocracy. A huge number of them were issued, so these coins became the main item for treasures of the times Civil War. It was minted annually from 1898 to 1904, then in 1906, 1909, 1910 and 1911. According to unofficial information, they could have been produced in the 1920s for international payments.

Gold 5 rubles with a portrait of Nicholas II and a double-headed eagle were minted from 1898 to 1911, except for 1905 and 1908. The 1907 coins are of great value due to a very limited mintage (a little over 100 pieces). There is a pattern on the edge, with the exception of some issues with a smooth edge. The neck trim contains the engraver's initials.

Rubles, like other large silver coins, under Nicholas II had the same design, weight and fineness as under Alexander III, but with a portrait of the new emperor. Minted annually from 1895 to 1915. Before 1902 and in 1913 they had several variants, differing in the designations on the edge. Among the issues of 1896-1899 there are examples of foreign coinage with one and two stars, or with ticks.

50-kopeck coins of the Nikolaev era had the same design as rubles: a portrait of Nicholas II in profile on one side, the coat of arms and denomination on the other. They were minted every year except 1905. Onets of 1896-1899 were issued not only in St. Petersburg, but also abroad; these have markings in the form of stars or birds on the edge instead of the initials of the mintzmeister.

Since 1901, the production of 20-kopeck coins of the 1867 model from bilon (500 standard) silver has been resumed. Their minting continued until the beginning of 1917. In addition to the designation of the mint, the coins bear the initials of the mintmaster - FZ, AR, EB and BC. Since 1915, the designation of the mint (the letters SPB) has been absent.

Coins in denomination of 15 kopecks were issued from 1896 to the beginning of 1917, except for 1910, according to the 1867 model. Some copies with the date "1916" were minted at the Osaka Mint (Japan); they do not have the initials of the mintmaster under the eagle. Since 1915, the designation of the mint (the letters SPB) has been absent.

Issued annually in 1895-1917 according to the 1867 model from 500 silver, coin weight - 1.8 grams. Under the eagle are the initials of the mintzmeister: the letters AG, EB, FZ, AR and BC. Since 1915, the designation of the mint (the letters SPB) has been absent. Some of the copies with the date "1916" were minted at the Osaka Mint (Japan), they do not have the initials of the mintmaster under the eagle.

Silver nickels weighing 0.9 grams of the 1867 model under Nicholas II were minted from 1897 to 1915, except for 1907. Copper coins of this denomination exist only with the dates “1911”, “1912” (letters “SPB”) and “1916”, “1917” (without letters), they are made according to the 1867 model.

Half-kopeck coins with the monogram of Nicholas II were issued in 1894-1900 and in 1908-1916, until 1915 they were marked with the mint mark. Among the coins of 1895 there is a rare monogram variant, which has three petals in the upper curls of the letter “H”.

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The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II left behind a huge country with millions of inhabitants holding various examples of coins from the imperial era. Soon all these coins will lead to depreciation in trade and market transactions. They are being replaced by new ones - Soviet ones. For numismatists, many silver coins of Nicholas 2 have been of great interest for a whole century. This material will tell you the most interesting samples and the current cost of their variants.

All coins issued under Emperor Nicholas II dated from 1895-1917. Most of the coins were kopecks, and the highest denomination was the Nikolaev silver ruble. The production of ruble monetary units was carried out only using 900 silver.

Throughout the entire period of the sovereign's reign, only minor changes were visible in the depiction of the emperor's portrait. Having succeeded his father, Alexander III, on the throne, the parameters of the portrait were preserved, only the turn changed, moving to the west (Alexander 3 looked east). Nicholas 2 issued 1 ruble from the beginning of his reign until 1915. Outwardly, it was not fundamentally different, it was the same, for example, as the ruble of 1898 or the ruble of 1899.

Although the denomination coins are similar in many respects, there are still some features. Here, for example, is the very first ruble coin of 1985:

• reverse - an image of a double-headed eagle (symbol of the empire), with a scepter in the right paw and an orb in the left. Under the relief eagle is the denomination of the currency and the year of issue;
• obverse - a portrait of Nicholas II throughout the center, on the left along the circumference the inscription “B. M. NICHOLAY II”, on the right - “AND THE AUTODER OF ALL RUSSIA”;
• product weight - 20 grams;
• diametrical size - 33.65 mm;
• circulation amounted to about 1.1 million products;
• the side surface - “pure silver 4 spools 21 lobes” and the author’s initials “A.G.”, items with a smooth edge were less common.

The 1896 ruble already has a greater number of varieties due to the expansion of the minting area by the Paris Mint and the Brussels Mint. The maximum ruble coin of this year is similar to the ruble of 1898 in that they have a 180-degree alignment, which is not observed in the others. Here are the differences between the side inscriptions of the ruble:

• smooth edge;
• with two stars instead of the inscription (Brussels Mint);
• standard inscription as on the 1895 example.

Its circulation amounted to more than 10 million copies. This year was distinguished by the original issue of a special type - the 1896 “Coronation” ruble, on the reverse of which there is no image of an eagle, but only a scepter crossed with an orb.

The silver ruble of 1898, with the same parameters, adds another appearance, where instead of an inscription on the edge there is one star.

The 1899 ruble begins to be supplemented by other initials printed on the side of the product - E B or F Z. This happened due to a change in stamps at the St. Petersburg Mint. Similar to previous monetary units, occasionally the ruble of 1899 was mistakenly minted with a smooth edge.

Table comparative assessment ruble coins in good condition:

Nicholas 2 penny coin products Thus, the price of the product depends not only on the type of coin, but also on the circulation. The ruble of 1899 and the previous one were minted in much large quantities, so the price tag is lower. In any case, any well-preserved silver ruble of Nicholas II represents excellent value at auction among both amateurs and professionals.

The kopecks issued under the emperor were divided into 3 categories:

1. Billon - the base of the coin alloy consisted of 500 silver, such products had the following denominations:
   • 5 kopecks;
   • 10 kopecks;
   • 15 kopecks;
   • 20 kopecks.
2. Silver - 25 and 50 kopeck monetary units were made from the highest standard of silver (900).
3. Copper - the smallest monetary items were made of copper alloy: 1, 2, 3-kopeck coins.

The images of coins in denominations of 50 and 25 kopecks were identical to the ruble copies, repeating the portrait of the autocrat on the obverse and the coat of arms on the reverse.

Many coins stopped being issued in 1915, but, for example, the half-fifty coin was minted from 1895 to 1901. The price of coins issued during the period last year minting, reaches 200 thousand rubles per piece due to the limited edition, with a cost of only 150 rubles.

Small change copper coins had a massive circulation; outwardly, they had a distinct coat of arms of the empire on the reverse, but on ½ and ¼ and 1-kopeck coins, the reverse side was decorated with the signature monogram of Nicholas II. On the 2-kopeck coin in silver, the monogram replaces the coat of arms.

You can find out how much a certain penny monetary unit is worth at numerous online auctions. 900 silver coins are much easier to sell, even considering the cost. The price tag of such products is ten times, sometimes even a hundred times higher than the cost of copper or 500 standard samples.

Here is a comparative table of the cost of different-sized monetary units depending on the denomination of 1901:

Comparative table of penny products 1917: The final year of imperial power was marked by difficult times, the minting of coins was suspended. Only a few samples came out of the mint: 10, 15, 20-kopeck pieces. Naturally, the price category of such coins is very high. Coins issued from 1915 to 1917 distinguished by the absence of mint initials and the small form of issue due to the First World War.

Special Issues

There are coins produced through a special Proof minting process, which gives the coins a special background shade - either mirrored or smooth darkened. They were made primarily for professional collectors. Currently, it is extremely rare for unique items to be discovered at auctions.

The reign of Nicholas 2 was filled with many anniversary and significant events of the period of the Russian Empire. In honor of such memorable dates special coins were minted to represent a specific incident:

A wide variety of silver coins from the reign of the last Russian emperor attracts many historians, numismatists, and hobbyists from all over the world. The difficult political situation in the country at the beginning of the 20th century limited the minting of coins. Multimillion-dollar coin issues of the late 19th century are several times lower than the metal money of the early 20th century. However, there are very rare coins issued in limited quantities, which are practically never found in public trading. In any case, Nikolaev silver money items only become more expensive over time.