altyn

Amazing images! Your sharing any details of how you took them would be appreciated.

Congratulations on the acquisition of the lovely (although pricey) coins.

I am surprised that NGC could make such an error as mislabeling the denga as 1K.

Exactly to the point! Why do any of us collect these little pieces of round (not always) metal with pictures and words.... they can not keep the rain off of our heads or put food on the table (unless we choose to part with them).....

 

some folks collect beer cans, dead insects, etc. My dear mother collects the tiny green mossy plants that grow on tree bark, and talks endlessly about it! So I guess its whatever keeps you from being bored!

 

and some weirdos collect dead insects AND coins...

I proud that I can keep Randolph Zander's point o view from his book:

<<<both Dassier and Yudin emphasized the sovereign's features, representing them with a slightly demure delicacy, and they paid little attention to her court dress, with the St Andrew sash, and to her opulent bust>>>>

Thanks providing this reference.

Her decision was clearly not based on artistic merit.

... as we see it. But she saw it differently.

I am not sure what you mean.

 

Is the dress somehow inaccurately rendered? The dress doesn't look radically different from the earlier Scott version to me (and no doubt she had more than just one dress!).

I read somewhere (and do not remember where it was), that the reason for rejecting the Dassier's work was that the dress shown was TOO HUMBLE, and in the Empress's opinion improper for a Russian 'барыня' (noble woman) to wear. If the dress shown were more imposing or better decorated, she might have approved the portrait. I do not know if this is just an anecdote or a true story, but I can imagine saying that would have been very typical of her based on her known habits and the life style.

I find it astounding that Dassier's work on the rouble did not meet with the Empress's approval.

If only he paid more attention to properly showing the Empress's dress...

You have it backwards. I do not have to prove it is genuine, you have to prove otherwise and you

have not done so.

This is a very interesting point. Does "presumption of innocence" apply to coins/medals? Is a coin presumed innocent (genuine) until proven guilty (fake) or the other way around? I am intrigued.