Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 1570. Estimate $7500.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $32500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

RUSSIA, Tsars of Russia. Petr III Fyodorovitch. As Karl Peter Ulrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, 1739-1762. AR Albertus Taler (27.98 g, 12h). Mannheim, Germany mint; Johann Ludwig Ploß, commissioner. Dated 1753. PETRUS • D : G • MAGNUS DUX TOTIUS RUSSIÆ, bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right; S below bust / HÆR : NORW • DUX SLESV : HOLS : ST & DITM : COM : OLD & DELM • 1753, crowned double-headed imperial eagle facing with wings displayed, holding scepter and orb; coat-of-arms of Moskau and Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp framed by Andreasorden on breast; above, imperial crown; P below tail. On edge: NACH (rosette) DEM (rosette) FUS (rosette) DER (rosettes) ALBERTUS (rosette) THALER. Bitkin 61; Severin 1891; Uzdenikov 4929. NGC photo graded MS 63, iridescent and patinated in blue, golden, ad russet with beautiful fields. Carries a Bitkin rating of Rarity 1.

Ex Sotheby’s (3 October 1991), lot 824.

This coin was struck in the name of Peter III, Grand Duke of All Russia. Commissioned by Johann Ploss and struck in Mannheim for the German state of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, the native home of Peter III, it is one of those fascinating elements which are included in Russian numismatics.