Twenty five rubles in 1876

In January 1876, “from the Highest Command”, the third son of Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, with a circulation of only 100 copies ^{[1] [2]} , large gold coins were denominated in denominations of 25 rubles ^[3] . Non-standard large gold coin is still one of the mysteries of Russian numismatics . The coin could be minted in connection with the thirty years of the emperor’s son ^[1] , however, Vladimir Alexandrovich was born in 1847, and the date on the coins is 1867. In 1876, the Grand Duke was appointed president of the Imperial Academy of Arts , the coin could have a gift value on this occasion, but there is no evidence to support this assumption. The purpose of minting a hundred unusual gold coins is still unknown for certain ^[3] .

Coins were minted at the St. Petersburg Mint. Each weighs approximately 32.7 g and a diameter of 32.3 mm. Sample 917.

On the obverse of the coin a small emblem of the Russian Empire is minted - a two-headed eagle under three crowns. A fluttering Andreev ribbon descends from the upper crown, on the chest there is a shield with the emblem of Moscow , around it is a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called . On open wings of an eagle, shields with emblems. Toothed rim around the edge.

In the center of the reverse of the coin in a bead rim is the denomination, date and mint: “25 | RUBLES | 1876 | S.P.B. ” Circular inscription: "❀ PURE GOLD 7 ZOLOTNIKOV 3 SHARES". Toothed rim around the edge. The edge is dotted.

• Bitkin, V.V. Consolidated Catalog of Russian Coins. Part II (1740–1917). - Kiev: UNON-COIN, 2003 .-- 544 p. - ISBN 966-9551-3-9.
• Gold coins in the history of the Romanov dynasty. Exhibition catalog. International Numismatic Club. - M .: Ligva-F, 2017 .-- 432 p. - ISBN 978-5-91477-038-6 .