The coin of Nicholas 2 of 1899. Silver coins of Nicholas 2

In 1897, the then Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire, S. Yu. Witte, made a monetary reform in the country, which led to the liquidation of coins of different dignity, made of silver. Subsequently, the main means of payment in the state became a coin of Nicholas 2, or the so-called Nicholas ruble. In addition, from the specified time and up to 1915 according to the decree regulating the issue transactions, the State Bank was given the right to issue new notes secured by gold.

History of coinage

It was after Witte 's monetary reform that silver coins began to function as a physical means of payment attached to the newly introduced gold denomination. This circumstance could not but entail the very state monetary regulations.

In early June 1899, the monarch signed a new version of the monetary statute, which said that the monetary unit of the Russian Empire now becomes the Nicholas ruble or the coins of Nicholas 2. The silver contained in them was 18 g of this pure metal.

The new Russian silver coins played the role of an auxiliary means of payment on the territory of the Russian state, so this money was mandatory for acceptance only in those payments where the amount did not exceed 25 units. At the same time, there was no more than 3 rubles per inhabitant of the country.

Description

The obverse of the silver coin of Nicholas II is crowned with his portrait in profile, with his face turned to the left. It is framed with relief inscriptions: on the right - "AND SAMODERZHETS ALL-RUSSIA.", And to the left - "BM. NICHOLAS II IMPERATOR ". Above the portrait of the Russian autocrat, located on the ruble of 1899, worked a well-known carver Anton Vasyutinsky.

Usually the reverse of coins that were circulating on the territory of the Russian Empire, including the silver coin of Nicholas 2 of 1899, is adorned with the small coat of arms of the state, where the crowned two-headed eagle holding the Power and the Scepter in its paws is depicted. On the chest of the bird is a shield. It depicts St. George the Victorious. The wings of the eagle are decorated with small shields, on which the arms of all provinces that were then part of the Russian state are represented.

Under the imperial emblem are large capital letters denoting the value of the silver coin - "RUBL" and the year of its release - "1899 G." Between the two inscriptions there is a small figured asterisk.

On the edge of the coin of Nicholas 2 on all circumference there is a depressed inscription informing about the composition of the material from which the money is made: "CLEANING SILVER 4 ZOLOTNIK 21 SHARES". In addition, in the same place in the parentheses is the sign of the Ministry of the Interior: Felix Zelemn (F.Z.) or Elikum Babayants (EB), Mint of St. Petersburg. I must say that this money was minted not only in Russia, but also on special order in the territory of Belgium. Proceeding from this, the minceyster's sign was missing from them, and instead of it there was a special designation.

Coin parameters

The diameter of the silver ruble of Emperor Nicholas 2 is 33.65 mm, its mass is 20 g, and the thickness is 2.6 mm. For its coinage, metal AG900, silver of 900 samples was used. The total circulation of the coin was more than 6.5 million copies. She is in the series "Nicholas 2".

Special specimens

For today it is known that the silver coins of Nicholas 2 of the 1899 edition have several distinctive features. These include various kinds of technical marriages, for example, the lack of certain certain elements of the design, the complete absence of the inscription on the edge, the wrong position of the reverse with respect to the obverse. Here it should be specially noted that coins with such defects can cost much more than ordinary specimens.

Despite the fact that the Nicholas ruble was issued in a huge circulation, it is difficult to find coins that are in good condition. This is because they have been in circulation for more than two decades. In this regard, the price of a perfectly preserved coin that has survived to this day may exceed even the value of a gold chervonetz!