One of the worst fakes seen. Not even close to the genuine yet bids are over $400.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IMPERIAL-RUSSIA-SILVER...1QQcmdZViewItem

RWJ

Thanks - had my doubt on that. Isn't there supposed to be an edging for this coin?

Also Julian, what is your opinion of the Borodin ruble by the same seller?

The 1839 Borodino is also a counterfeit.

The 1898 is supposed to have edge lettering.

The seller has been notified on both pieces and it will be interesting to see if they are pulled.

RWJ

For some reason I have not been able to access this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/IMPERIAL-RUSSIA-SILVER...1QQcmdZViewItem

Both in this thread and WCO's (Ugly fake). Is anyone else having this problem?

The Borodino link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=015

Does not seem to be a problem.

I thought perhaps the 1898 Alexander II rouble was taken off, but as of now both coins are still on ebay.

Try this link.

Yes, I have trouble with ebay links at times. Ebay has some wierd way of "naming" their URLs, one of which is by "super_long_lame_URL_which_takes_time_or_gives_error_message" or alternatively if you know where to look for the item ID number, you can enter that in.

The fastest way I found out is to hit on the "History - (number) bids" and hit on "Back to Item description". Hopefully it will give you the id number at the back which gives you the right URL and without the lame "Page not responding" link

Better link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=250148697085

Thanks, it would not come up for me after I posted the original link.

RWJ

Some vendor feedback

Anyone with opinions of this commemorative ruble:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=290144655799

I can't tell

Thank you grivna and gxseries for the help.




Are those the before and after cleaning photos?

No opinion but there is a small story that goes with this coin. When it was struck in
1912 one organization, according to Dr. I.G. Spassky, wrote the Mint asking for the
50 kopeck Alexander III commemorative coins as they could not afford the rubles!

RWJ

I'm very curious over the history of the 1912 throne ruble. At that very same year, the 100th anniversary of Napolean's defeat ruble was minted with a much greater mintage (some 50,000) and yet the throne ruble had a mintage of just 900(? is that even right?) And on the very next year, some 1.5 million of Romanov rubles were minted. What is going on?

Supposely if 1912 is the year where the organization didn't have too much money on hand, why weren't there any restrikes made during the Soviet era when the Gangut ruble was restruck?

The mintage figures sometimes seen (1912 Borodino: 26,500 and Alexander III: 900) are not correct
although they were printed in 1915 by the Moscow Numismatic Society. In the mid 1960s Dr. I.G.
Spassky examined the mint registers and found that that correct numbers were:

Borodino – 46,000 and Alexander III – 2,100

Dr. Spassky, due to some confusion in the accounts, indicated that the above numbers were
estimates but still very close to the true numbers.

Because the Soviets especially hated Alexander III (Lenin's brother was hanged during his reign)
there was little chance that that they would have restruck such coins.

RWJ

Thanks for the great insight Julian - never saw it that way.

If you don't mind me asking another question, how did the mintage figure end up to be low in 1915? Was there just publication error or there was not enough proper documentation?

As a guess, the Moscow Society editor probably asked the Mint for the mintages. This
was wartime and perhaps the clerk who looked up the numbers was pressed for time
and did not see all the entries. The Borodino ruble was also struck in early 1913, for
example, and the clerk might well have missed such data.

RWJ

Hi Julian,

Since we are talking about 1912 Napoleon Ruble... Wanted to ask:
If we compair 1859 Nicholas I Memorial Rouble and 1912 Napoleon ruble, which one is popular and which one worth more in high grade such as MS61/64 ? (if same grades)

thank you

my book says that the 1859 Nicholas I Memorial Rouble is worth more in avg fine grade by $5 (its $70) then the 1912 Napoleon ruble (which is $65 in the avg fine grade) as for which is more popular i don know

Neither the 1859 "throne" rouble nor the 1912 "Славный год" is particularly scarce. However, (IMHO) it is more usual to see these offered in XF-UNC than in F/VF, and recent catalog prices show that prices of $1,000 and more are being paid for both types today in those grades.

Hi,

Thanks for your messege, but sound kind of funny.
I will pay you TRIPLE of catalog price to get any of those coins in MS62/63 (I don't want to talk about higher grades, if exist at all)
Check the Maket prices, regular common coins selling out for 1k+ and what about really rare coins?
Prices that says in your catalog probably correct for VF/XF conditions for any of those types.
If I'm wrong somebody can correct me? :-)

wow >_> i think i need a new book >_> (using the official 2000 blackbook price guide to world coins 3rd edition i think need an update xD but will have to order 1 from the book store x<)

I'm so sorry but you not able to find any book from any store that shows up today's market prices, OR you have to time x2 or x3 prices that will find in latest edition.

prob is bahrain is tiny an so not alot of ppl r collectors thus its bad for business for book stores to bring coin collecting books always >_< so i must order 1 xD an im always lazy or forget xD

It doesn't matter what catalogue you use. Even Konros which is printed yearly isn't keeping up with the mad pricing these few years. I used to be able to buy some coins at a very affordable price only to see it skyrocketing by at least 10, yes, TEN times. And that is just FOUR years ago.

Now it pains me to remember that I could have bought a damaged 1859 commemorative ruble for 50 dollars and the 1912 ruble for just 200USD or something

We're all feeling the squeeze. It makes it very difficult to know what is a fair price to pay for less frequently traded coins (the common ones are easier).

I am puzzled by the market for Soviet coins.

I have seen USSR mint sets recently sell at price levels that I can scarcely believe.

Yet older Soviet coins in apparently decent shape have drawn very little interest and sold for much lower amounts:

1941 15K described as "Unc" $0.99

1940 5K decscribed as "Unc" $2.99

I don't understand this at all.

Meanwhile notice that the fake 1898 Alexander II rouble posted by Mr. Julian at the beginning of this thread sold for $1030.54 and, of course, the identity of the buyer is kept private.

i think they should make international laws against scamming so if some 1 is in another country he can still be thrown in jail or fined

The buyer will eventually find out that what he/she purchased is just a piece of metall. It's just a matter of time. Unfortunately, by that time it will be not possible to return this crap.

For some strange reason, whenever I see the words "private listing - bidders' identities protected" in an Ebay counterfeit offering, the words "private listing - ebay profits protected by aiding and abetting fraud" are what I read them as.

I'm sure there must be some logical explanation for why my mind plays such tricks on me.