Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 1595. Estimate $100000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $110000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

RUSSIA, Tsars of Russia. Nikolai I Pavlovich. 1825-1855. AR 1½ Roubles (31.19 g, 12h). Imperial Family issue. Sankt-Peterburg (St. Petersburg) mint; Pavl Utkin, engraver. Dated 1836. 1½ PУБЛЯ. 10 ZŁOT • 1836., head of Nikolai I Pavlovich right; п.у. on truncation of neck / Busts of Crown Prince Aleksandr Nikolaevich, Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna, Alexandra Nikolaevna, and Grand Dukes Konstantin Nikolaevich, Nikolai Nikolaevich, and Mikhail Nikolaevich around central medallion of Alexandra Feodorovna right, wearing stephane. Grained edge. Bitkin 888; Severin 3181; Uzdenikov 4206. NGC photo graded PF 65, a superb proof with wonderful light iridescent patina. although scarce as a novodel, this specimen is an original striking and as such a rare emission with a reported mintage of of only fifty specimens. A fine, well-pedigreed coin.

Ex Virgil Brand Collection (Spink Zürich 19, 15 April 1986) lot 179.

The Imperial Family rouble is possibly the most sought after nineteenth century crown in the world, as well as a Russian numismatic classic.