Am I the only one that thinks the reverse quite similar to the 1 year type 1796 Cipher series? We know that Pavel I silver rubles are modelled after the Dutch ducats.

Silly me, I forgot to add the link: http://img408.imageshack.us/my.php?image=a323bm9.jpg

Very interesting, gx! The resemblance is quite striking.

The Naples & Sicily 8 Tornesi you show (according to Krause) appears to have been struck only in 1796 and 1797. While it does not rule out one coin type being modeled on the other, the apparently simultaneous appearance of these designs in Italy and Russia would seem to argue against that idea, particularly when the slower speed of foreign travel in that era is taken into account.

Do you know of any documentary or other evidence to support the idea that one coin was inspired by another?

While we're on the subject of similar coin designs, here's a commemorative taler (not mine) with an indisputable Russian link:

Just one more thing, that coin is NOT mine, it's elverno's.

Grivna, I am pretty suprised about the early Russian commemorative coins. The more research about them, the more undeniable the link between Russian and the rest of Europe seems to be, in particular Germany.

Gube, who is the amazing mintmaster who engraved some of the best Russian coins actually is German himself! The family ruble as well is linked back to the Bavarian 1828 5 marks. Link: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...em=290098593455

The very reason why Russia released commemorative coins is very simple - they saw Germany's example of selling such commemorative coins and they themselves wanted to profit out from it

Btw, here is one image of Pavel I ruble against a Dutch Ducat





The stunning ducat is NOT mine, it's GDJMSP

Germans had much influence in Russia. Anna filled the Imperial Court with her German favorites. Elizabeth Petrovna was the last truly Russian ruler (except Catherine II, a German who worked hard to become more Russian than the Russians ).

Elizabeth's successors were of more German than Russian blood. The resemblance of Tsar Nicholas II to King George V of the UK is no coincidence:

I just found this little tidbit on the net:

Kaiser Wilhelm II, King George V, and Tsar Nicholas II’s wife Alexandra were all first cousins - grandchildren of Queen Victoria of England.

Kaiser Wilhelm II: