Gold, silver and copper coins of Catherine 2. Photos and value

Various museums and collectors-numismatists dream of getting their coins of Catherine 2 in their collections , which are a kind of thread that connects us with that far time when this great empress was on the throne. During her reign, reforms and transformations affected all spheres of life, which led to the flowering of science and art. Significant changes also affected the coinage of money. The Empress always kept under special control issues relating to the issue of new gold, silver and copper coins. Until now, many unique copies of coins of that time have come down. Some of them are in excellent condition and are of great value, being a source of pride and admiration for numismatists from all over the world.

Gold coins of Catherine 2

They are certainly among the most valuable. Most gold coins were minted at the mint in St. Petersburg. Historians have information about the issuance of these banknotes of the next denomination: 2, 5, 10 rubles, 1 ruble, chervonets, poltina.

The golden coins of Catherine II were not used by ordinary people, but were distributed exclusively within the yard.

The material of the tens of titles of 1762 and 1763 was gold of the 917th test. The weight of each specimen was more than 16 grams. One side was adorned with a portrait of Catherine herself (fashion designer T. Ivanov), on the second side a coat of arms was depicted. It should be noted that the image of the Empress's profile on gold coins has been edited several times: on some specimens the Empress is depicted with a scarf, but on others this garment is absent.

If to speak about cost, ten-ruble coins are the most expensive. The cost of some copies can reach 200 thousand dollars.

Coins made of silver

The silver coins of Catherine 2 (photo below) were widely distributed. The mints coined them in large quantities. It is known about the existence at that time of 10, 20, 15 kopecks, half-length, half-ruble, ruble, made of silver. The obverse adorned the profile of the bust of Catherine II, which is also found on the gold coins described above. Only on the ruble of 1775 was depicted another portrait of the Empress executed by V. Klimov.

Siberian coin: 10 kopecks

This copper coin is strikingly different from itself. Its peculiarity lies primarily in the quality of the copper from which it was made. It was mined at the Kolyvan mine, but in the copper found there were admixtures of gold and silver. At that time, it was not possible to extract these impurities from the base metal. Such copper had its own abbreviation - CM. The release of these 10-penny coins was carried out in the period from 1766 to 1781, until all deposits were depleted in the Kolyvan mine.

Siberian 10 kopecks were distributed only on its territory. On one side was an image of the coat of arms of Siberia (two sables near the shield). To date, the cost of copper Siberian coins varies from 100 to 600 dollars.

Sestroretsk Ruble

Such coins of Catherine 2, as Sestroretsk rubles were minted for the purpose of securing paper banknotes. Their production was started in 1770. The weight of a coin with a nominal value of one ruble was 1 kg, and these banknotes were made at the Sestroretsk arms factory. The material used to make the coins was the copper trunks of the old weapons. When Catherine II issued a decree on the production of such coins, she had no idea how long and laborious the processes of grinding and creating blanks would turn out to be. When it became clear, the unusual idea had to be abandoned. But the surviving test specimens have survived to this day. The cost of the Sestroretsk ruble can reach 50 thousand dollars.

There are other varieties of Catherine's coins 2, which keep a memory of the time of the reign of this great empress. With their features, individual design and an unusual history of origin, they give an idea of life in those distant times.