1825

Steel l height 175 mm, width 70 mm

During the brief interregnum (27 November – 14 December 1825) following Alexander I's death, dies were prepared at the St Petersburg Mint and a few trial coins struck with a portrait of Constantine Pavlovich, who it was assumed would be the new emperor. On 14 December 1825, however, Constantine's younger brother Nicholas ascended to the throne instead. The trial coins and all the materials used in their minting (draft drawings, dies and tin copies of them) were immediately withdrawn and transferred to the offices of the Ministry of Finance. In 1878-1880 five of these exceedingly rare roubles, which had survived in the Ministry, were distributed among various collections with Alexander II's knowledge. One of them was acquired by the Hermitage, which later also acquired the draft drawings, dies and tin copies. A second coin is kept at Moscow's State Historical Museum. The other examples have all come to light abroad.