One ruble (gold coin)

The coins of this series have their history since 1756, when the decree of the Coin Office dated February 27, 1756 was issued, which says that Empress Elizabeth orders to make one and a half pounds (24.57 kg) of ruble and half coins from gold of the 88th spool test ( 917th metric) with proportions like those of imperials and semi-imperials that appeared last year ^[2] . On June 21, 1756, the Empress issued a decree “On the Making of Gold and Two-Ruble Coins at the Mints” , which read :

We announce in the national news. We pointed out: from now on at Our Mints, make gold ruble and two-ruble coins of eighty-eighth test, weighing thirty-six ruble, and two-ruble seventy-three ninety-sixth of the spool , with the image on them on one side of Our portrait, and on the other the Russian coat of arms, which in all of our Russian Empire to go at the prices assigned to them without adding or decreasing thereof. And so that it would be known about those coins throughout the State that they should be published in printed decrees. What sim is published.

Coins of these times with a denomination of up to 10 rubles ( imperials ) were considered small, and many historical sources indicate that their main purpose was to use them in palace life - primarily for gambling. But there is also evidence that some batches of coins went into regular circulation. So, during the Seven Years War , the Senate Decree of the Coin Chancellery of March 28, 1757 refers to the sending of gold rubles, semi-imperials and imperials totaling 110,980 rubles to General Field Marshal Apraksin in Riga . This was done with the expectation that a gold coin, corresponding in weight and sample to the Dutch chervonets, will be freely accepted in Europe ^[3] . From 1756 to 1758, more than 130,000 gold rubles were made at the St. Petersburg and Moscow Mints ^[4] . Initially, it was planned to maintain a strict proportion in terms of gold content with imperials and semi-imperials , however, to reduce costs, the mass of small coins was slightly reduced.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries, the card game was an integral part of the palace culture. During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, the game of cards became entrenched and became a stable element of the life of the nobility, the social significance of cards increased, and the passion for card games became a marker of belonging to the upper class ^[5] . In 1761, Elizaveta Petrovna banned gambling, but allowed playing in noble noble houses and the imperial palace with the proviso that you can play “not for large, but for the smallest amounts of money, not for gain, but only for spending time” ^{[6] [7]} . According to numismatist Julian Robert, small gold coins could be used as game chips and as a trifle when playing at the highest levels of society. However, Robert expresses doubts about the prevailing version that these coins were minted for the court, especially the denominations of one and two rubles ^[4] . Speaking about the appointment of gold coins of small denomination, I. G. Spassky writes without reference to the source that such coins were intended “more for domestic palace use than for wide circulation”, but notes: “some of them are found quite often and, moreover, in a fundamentally shabby form ” ^[8] .

The coinage continued under Catherine II , about 15.7 million gold coins were made - mostly these were large denominations. Small coins made up a small part of this volume, there were practically no references to the circulation of these coins, as well as documents confirming their release, but the coins themselves are widely known.

The Golden Ruble of Elizabeth Petrovna

Gold rubles during the reign of the empress were made in 1756-1758 ^[9] . On the obverse of the ruble coins is a portrait of the empress similar to half a cent . Circular inscription on the obverse: “B ∙ M ∙ ELISAVET ∙ I ∙ IMP: ISAMOD: THE BERRY ∙” (By the grace of God, Elizabeth I the Empress and autocrat of Russia). The reverse of the coin is decorated with a double-headed eagle crowned with three imperial crowns. On the chest of the eagle there is a large scarlet oval shield with the emblem of Moscow . In the clutches of an eagle are symbols of imperial power: scepter and power . Circular inscription on the reverse: "MON ∙ PRICE ∙ RUB ∙ 17 56 ∙". They have a cord-like edge . Coin weight${\displaystyle <span\; class="mwe-math-element"><span\; class="mwe-math-mathml-inline\; mwe-math-mathml-a11y"\; style="display:\; none;">\sim </span></span>}$ {\ displaystyle \ sim}   1.60 g pure gold${\displaystyle <span\; class="mwe-math-element"><span\; class="mwe-math-mathml-inline\; mwe-math-mathml-a11y"\; style="display:\; none;">\sim </span></span>}$ {\ displaystyle \ sim}   1.47 g diameter${\displaystyle <span\; class="mwe-math-element"><span\; class="mwe-math-mathml-inline\; mwe-math-mathml-a11y"\; style="display:\; none;">\sim </span></span>}$ {\ displaystyle \ sim}   16 mm. Minted at the Red Mint , according to the Bitkin catalog, in 1756 - 30,789 coins, in 1757 - 14,324 , in 1758 - 116,606 ; 1757 coins are considered rare ^[10] . At the St. Petersburg Mint, 5655 coins were made ^[11] .

In 1756, a trial gold ruble of 1756 (“eagle in the clouds”) was minted with an unusual reverse. On the reverse side of the coin, a two-headed eagle with spread wings is located three quarters of a turn to the left, crowned with three imperial crowns. Above the eagle is a cloud. The inscription is the same as that of ordinary gold rubles, and the edge is smooth ^[12] . In the Bitkin catalog, the coin is described asrarest (2-3 copies).

Some ruble coins of both the Elizabethan and subsequent Catherine’s periods are the so-called “ remakes ” - they were officially minted in a later period to satisfy collectors' requests. New makers, including Elizabethan rubles, were made at the St. Petersburg Mint until 1890, after which their minting was prohibited by decree of Alexander III at the request of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich ^[15] .

In particular, the remake of the trial ruble of 1756 from 917 gold is known; its diameter is 15-16 mm, its weight is 1.60 g, and pure gold is 1.47 g. It was minted at the St. Petersburg Mint ^{[13] [14] [16]} . On the obverse of the remake of one ruble, the right bosom profile of Elizabeth Petrovna is depicted. On the head is a small imperial crown ; hair is decorated with pearls and precious stones. The bust is reproduced in a dress embroidered and decorated with precious stones. A falling mantle is fastened on the right shoulder with a clasp. Circular inscription: "B ∙ M ∙ ELISAVET ∙ I ∙ IMP: ISAMOD: VSEROS ∙." The reverse depicts the monogram of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the imperial crown above the monogram (the subsequent serial gold rubles instead of the monogram contained a coat of arms). Circular inscription: "MON ∙ PRICE ∙ RUR ∙ 1756 ∙" ^{[13] [14] [16]} . The remake of one ruble of 1756 has 6 options: # H560— # H561 (Bitkin R3); # H562 (Bitkin R4); # H564— # H565 (Bitkin R3); # H566 (Bitkin R3 PIED-FORT) ^[16] .

Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that in December 2016 at a numismatic auction in Moscow “an extremely rare Elizabethan gold ruble of 1756”, “minted with polished stamps”, was sold for $ 80,000 ^[17] .

The Golden Ruble of Catherine II

The gold ruble was minted under Catherine II in 1779. The image of the empress on the obverse repeats the portrait on the obverse of the 1777 imperial. The Empress’s chest portrait is depicted in profile, to the right; the head is decorated with a small imperial crown and a laurel wreath . The hair is combed back, one curl is lowered on the back, the other on the right shoulder, a ribbon in the hair. A bust in a dress embroidered and decorated with precious stones, on the shoulders lies a mantle. Over the right shoulder is put on the Andreev ribbon. Circular inscription: "B ∙ M ∙ ELISAVET ∙ I ∙ IMP ∙ ISAMOD ∙ ALL." On the reverse is a two-headed eagle crowned with three imperial crowns. On the chest there is a large scarlet oval shield with the emblem of Moscow. In his paws he holds a scepter and power. Circular inscription: "MON ∙ PRICE ∙ RUB ∙ 17 79 ∙". The coin has a cord-shaped edge. Coin weight ~ 1.31 g, pure gold ~ 1.20 g, diameter ~ 15 mm ^[19] .

• Gold coins of the Russian Empire
• Gold ruble
• One ruble

• Obverse and reverse history / [Ed. col .: A.V. Mityaeva and others]. - M .: International Numismatic Club , 2016 .-- 216 p. - ISBN 978-5-9906902-6-4 .
• Gold coins in the history of the Romanov dynasty. Exhibition catalog. International Numismatic Club. - M .: Lingua-F, 2017 .-- 432 p. - ISBN 978-5-91477-038-6 .