one-kuna

thank you for very interesting clarification

*then what all AR AE AG means in his catalogs after each medal? *Bitkin new book for wear award only, as review on this book says.

First of all it is under Diakov #97 in volume 2 covering period 1725-1796. Original dies is listed under #97.1 and copied dies under #97.2 accordingly. As I saw your image, it is a medal from a white metal. And both are them (white metal) are NOT listed by Diakov.

Diakov reference says that Original dies were executed by Weaxter/ Yudin. Copied dies are by Ivanov/ Yudin.

THE MOST ACCURATE LIST OF RUSSIAN, RUSSIAN TEMPORARY AND FOREIGN MINTS STRUCK RUSSIAN IMPERIAL COINAGE 1697-1917 1. Красный (Китайский) монетный двор в Москве у Воскресенских ворот Krasniy / Red (Kitayskiy) mint in Moscow next to Voskresenskiy Gate Mintmark: КД, ММД, ММ 1697-1797 2. Кадашевский (Хамовный, Замоскворецкий, Военно-морской, Адмиралтейский) монетный двор в Москве в Кадашевской слободе Kadashevskiy (Hamovniy, Zamoskvoretskiy, Naval-Navy, Admiralty) mint in Moscow in Kadashevskiy sloboda Mintmark: МД, МДЗ, ММ, М, Москва 1701-1737 3. Набережный медный монетный двор в Москве на территории Кремля Naberezhniy copper mint in Moscow on Kremlin territory Mintmark: НД, НДЗ, НДД 1699-1727 4. Новый денежный двор в Москве на Красной площади в здании бывшего Земского приказа The New mint in Moscow on Red Square, in former building of Zemskoy Prikaz Mintmark: none 1700-1717 5. Петербургский монетный двор в Петропавловской крепости Peterburg mint in the Peter-Paul fortress Mintmark: СПБ, СПМ, СП, СМ 1724-1728, 1738-1799, 1807-1917 6. Екатеринбургский монетный двор в Екатеринбурге Ekaterinburg mint in Ekaterinburg Mintmark: EM 1727-1876 7. Сестрорецкий монетный двор на Сестрорецких оружейных заводах Sestroretsk mint at Sestroretsk Armoury plants Mintmark: CM 1757-1778 8. Сузунский (Барнаульский) монетный двор на Нижне-Сузунском медеплавильном заводе в посёлке Сузун Suzun (Barnaul) mint at Nizhniy Suzun copper-melt plant in village Suzun Mintmark: КМ, СМ 1766-1847 9. Таврический монетный двор в пригороде Феодосии - Ташлыке Tauric mint in Feodosiya's visinity - Tashlyk Mintmark: TM 1787-1788 10. Аннинский монетный двор на базе Бабкинского медеплавильного завода в селе Аннинском Пермской губернии Anninsk mint based on Babkinskiy copper-melt plant in Anninsk village of Perm province Mintmark: AM 1789-1798 11. Колпинский (Ижорский) монетный двор на базе Адмиралтейских заводов в селе Колпино Kolpino mint based on Admiralty plants in village Kolpino Mintmark: KM, ИМ 1810-1821 1840-1844 12. Тифлисский монетный двор в Тифлисе (ныне Тбилиси) в помещении старых царских бань Tiflis mint in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) in old tzars bath-house facilitity Mintmark: ტფილისი 1804-1834 13. Варшавский монетный двор в Варшаве Warsaw mint in Warsaw Mintmark: MW, BM 1816-1864 14. Гельсингфорсский монетный двор в Гельсингфорсе (ныне Хельсинки) Helsingfors mint in Helsingfors (now Helsinki) Mintmark: none 1763-1917 15. Временный монетный двор - плащильная мельница в Москве на реке Яузе Temporary mint at flatting mill on Yauza river in Moscow Mintmark: none 1728-1729, 1734-1736 16. Временный "Коллежский" монетный двор в Петербурге на Московской стороне вблизи Литейного двора Temporary mint College in Peterburg on Moscow side next to Foundry yard Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used СПБ 1724-1726 17. Временный монетный двор в бывших палатах кн. Прозоровского в Петербурге на Московской стороне Temporary mint in former palaces of prince Prozorovskiy on Moscow side in Peterburg Mintmark: none 1736-1737 18. Временный монетный двор в Нижнем Новгороде в архиерейском доме, переданного позже Приказу общественного призрения Temporary mint in Nizhniy Novgorod at archbishop house, transferred later to the Order of the public charity Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used EM 1762, 1796-1797 19. Временный монетный двор в Ярославле, в бывшем доме ссыльного герцога Э.И Бирона Temporary mint in Yaroslavl', in former house of the exciled Grand Duke Biron Mintmark: none 1762 20. Временный монетный двор в Полоцке Temporary mint in Polotsk Mintmark: none 1762 21. Временный монетный двор в с. Поречье Смоленской губернии Temporary mint in village Porechie of Slolensk province Mintmark: none 1762 22. Временный монетный двор в Архангельске Temporary mint in Arkhangel'sk Mintmark: none 1762 23. Временный Банковский монетный двор в Петербурге в здании Ассигнационного банка Temporary Bank mint in Peterburg at the building of Assignat bank Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used CM, СП, СПБ 1799-1805 24. Завод по обработке цветных металлов Розенкранца в Петербурге The Rozenkranz plant of color metals in Petersburg Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used СПБ 1899-1901 25. Кенигсбергский монетный двор (Пруссия) Koenigsberg mint (Prussia) Mintmark: none 1759-1761 26. Частный монетный двор в поместье Садогура (княжество Молдова) Private mint in Sadogura estate (Moldova principality) Mintmark: S 1771-1774 27. Авестский монетный двор в г. Авеста (Швеция) Avesta mint in Avesta (Sweden) Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used EM 1788 28. Стокгольмский монетный двор (Швеция) Stockholm mint (Sweden) Mintmark: none 1863 29. Страсбургский монетный двор (Франция) Strasbourg mint (France) Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used СПБ 1861 31. Парижский монетный двор (Франция) Paris mint (France) Mintmark: "star" on its edge 1861, 1896-1899 32. Брюссельский монетный двор (Бельгия) Brussel mint (Belgium) Mintmark:" two birds", "star and bird" and "two stars" on its edge 1863, 1877, 1897-1899 33. Бирмингемский монетный двор (Великобритания) Birmingham mint (Great Britain) Mintmark: did not have its own, instead used СПБ 1896-1898 34. Осакский монетный двор (Япония) Osaka mint (Japan) Mintmarl: none 1916 35. Берлинский монетный двор (Германия) Berlin mint (Germany) Mintmark: none 1916 36. Гамбургский монетный двор (Германия) Gamburg mint (Germany) Mintmark: none 1916 37. Мангеймский монетный двор (Германия) Mannheim mint (Germany) Mintmark: none 1753 Reference used: Bitkin V V Composite catalog of Russian coins, 2003. Brekke B F Copper coinage of Imperial Russia, 1977 Julian R W Russian silver coinage 1796-1917, 1993 Severin H Silver coins of Imperial Russia, Moscow reprint, 2006 Uzdenikov VV Russian coins 1700-1917, 2nd & 3rd editions, 1992, 2004 Uzdenikov VV Volume of Mints production of Russian coins, 1995.

i posted some known, credible facts from the russian numismatic history writen by Smirnov and Spasskiy, and bunch of others, which have never mentioned and confirmed existence of gold piece... some russian experts say that by looking at a picture only is not enough guarantee to confirm that it is genuine... and they are right... one of them immediately stated that this medal was recently made in Zelenograd, Russia, and another one noted that this medal would be made much better in Kiev... to be continued...

that is right - completely unknown in all metals but silver... especially those cheap pieces in lead and tin (RWJ mentioned earlier), they should have been showed up somewhere for so many years, where are they...

so far I do not see any creditible evidences from you that a medal is genuie, just general review and possible imagination... my real facts are not discussed straight... for example, what could you say about the historical fact that a jeton was given to Alexander III when he visited and observed grand duke collection, didn't he deserve to get a gold medal? Alexander III Romanov was given a little tiny jeton only?...that is it?...who can believe in that?...the real fact (explanation) of that is that there was no medal in gold - that is a fact!...

article was published in number 4 an 5, sale's ad in number 7 and has no direct connections with its article... what I do understand is that above imaginations on possible existence of a gold piece are imaginations only... to be continued...

according above version is that a piece was ordered by grand duke sometime ago about 1888 at Vienna mint and since that time (auctioning now as apparently unique) never appeared to a public and medal fields was left unpolished since and grand duke never presented such gold medal to the Alexander III, but for him gave him a jeton, not a medal with unpolished fields! does anyone can demonstrate an example of such valuable gold piece among russian medals with same finish at that time?

yes, dies were in grand duke possession, but please, if this gold medal was so valuable to him (as per auction consignor), why he did not pack it with its dies (or at list his numismatic comissioner Mokhrovskyi) with the rest of coins and medals, even he was being sent to the war to observe the russian army (1914)... For example, Giel's jetons were advertised and sold in different variants in Staraya Moneta: aluminum, green copper, yellow copper, dark copper, gold-like, silver-like, etc,, but Visitor medal in silver only... Also there was a comprehensive article on grand duke Visitor medal issue and its dies in Staraya Moneta, moreover, a silver medal was offered for sale at 15 rubles through Staraya Moneta (1910, #7), since that time neither Kopylov over 40 numismatic auctions before 1918 or any other numismatic dealers, collectors and periodics /literature have never mentioned on such gold piece...(neither lead and tin and others)...

how would you explain a fact that the all relief elements like horseman and such are in excellent condition but fields are left unpolished...gold medal dated 1888...

With the estimate $30000 this unknown in gold up to today medal of the grand duke Georgii Mikhailovich to the VISITOR was sold for $40000 on recent New York sale auction XXI, lot 1327. Some prospective buyers who really wanted such medals did not buy it due to medal provenance and its condition. However some folks stated that it was genuine. Some top experts in russian numismatics like Kopylov, Smirnov, Spasskij, etc., should have known the fact of existence of gold medal...but it was never published. The silver medals were given to the persons who visited and observed the grand duke collection of russian coins and medals, and these silver medals are known being sold at auctions from 1910 up to 2008, but gold?