Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
August 2016 ANA Auction - Sess. A-C 10-12 August 2016
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RUSSIA. Moldavia & Wallachia. 3 Dengi (Para) Pattern, 1771. Catherine II (the Great) (1762-96). NGC MS-63 BN.
Bit-1253(RR); Brekke-pp148#8(R); Diakov-1125(RR); UZD-4910(R). Wide spaced date. RARE. The First Russo-Turkish War broke out on April 15, 1769, and by September of that same year the Russian army had captured the Moldavian capital of Jassy, and soon thereafter Bucharest, the capital of Wallachia. Count Peter Rumyantsov, the Russian Commander-in-chief and also responsible for provisioning, proposed putting into circulation in both princedoms a special currency without symbols of the Russian Empire to be made from melted Turkish cannon captured in the war. The design was deliberate, and intended to prevent the coinage from being redeemed by the Russian Treasury thus saving the Tsar considerable expense. The production of the new currency was commissioned to baron Peter Gartenberg, and produced at his estate in Sadagura. Gartenberg's mintage reports state that coinage was first struck in November and December of 1771 and only in the sum of 3,224.37 Rubles, a tiny fraction of the mintages struck in the following three years. At the end of the war on July 10, 1774, all of the emission was demonetized. The piece offered here is an extraordinary example, with an even coffee bean brown patina and well delineated devices. The only piece seen at NGC for the specific type, and quite likely the finest extant. For those assembling a comprehensive collection of Russian copper coinage from the era, a piece not to be missed as it comes to auction. NGC MS-63 BN.
From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection.
Estimate: $2000.00- $3000.00
Bit-1253(RR); Brekke-pp148#8(R); Diakov-1125(RR); UZD-4910(R). Wide spaced date. RARE. The First Russo-Turkish War broke out on April 15, 1769, and by September of that same year the Russian army had captured the Moldavian capital of Jassy, and soon thereafter Bucharest, the capital of Wallachia. Count Peter Rumyantsov, the Russian Commander-in-chief and also responsible for provisioning, proposed putting into circulation in both princedoms a special currency without symbols of the Russian Empire to be made from melted Turkish cannon captured in the war. The design was deliberate, and intended to prevent the coinage from being redeemed by the Russian Treasury thus saving the Tsar considerable expense. The production of the new currency was commissioned to baron Peter Gartenberg, and produced at his estate in Sadagura. Gartenberg's mintage reports state that coinage was first struck in November and December of 1771 and only in the sum of 3,224.37 Rubles, a tiny fraction of the mintages struck in the following three years. At the end of the war on July 10, 1774, all of the emission was demonetized. The piece offered here is an extraordinary example, with an even coffee bean brown patina and well delineated devices. The only piece seen at NGC for the specific type, and quite likely the finest extant. For those assembling a comprehensive collection of Russian copper coinage from the era, a piece not to be missed as it comes to auction. NGC MS-63 BN.
From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection.
Estimate: $2000.00- $3000.00