World Coin of the Week: Russian Coronation Jeton in Gold

By Chris Chatigny, Cataloger

This week Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is proud to offer another remarkable Imperial Russian piece. The upcoming August ANA World’s Fair of Money auction in Chicago will contain a large number of Russian numismatic rarities. The highlight for this week is a Jeton, or medal, commemorating the coronation of Emperor Nicholas I. Nicholas I was the third son of Emperor Paul I, and as such he likely never expected to become the sole ruler of all Russia. His eldest brother, Emperor Alexander I, died suddenly and childless, and thrust the two remaining brothers into a succession battle. Before blood was spilled, Nicholas’ older brother Constantine Pavlovich yielded the throne to Nicholas, who became Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. Some army officers still supported the elder brother, and revolted against the new emperor in what became known as the “Decembrist’s Revolt.” Emperor Nicholas I quickly crushed the uprising, but the severity of dealing with a revolt on the first day of his reign led him to become an extremely reactionary ruler. His heavy-handed rule was known for a repression of all classes, excessive censorship, and persecution of all non-Russians. Nicholas I’s downfall began when he challenged the Ottoman Empire in order to secure naval passage through the Bosporus. All of Europe feared Russia’s expanding power, and Russia found itself fighting against all of Europe in the Crimean War. The Russian army was unable to defend its position, and during the war Nicholas I caught a cold, refused any treatment, and died shortly after of pneumonia. The new emperor, Alexander II, ended the war with very unfavorable terms for Russia, including the devastating loss of any naval activity in the Black Sea.

This Jeton was struck to commemorate the coronation of Tsar Nicholas I, and is gold, the rarest metal for this medal type. The coronation took place in Moscow, with a massive parade leading up to the Cathedral of the Dormition, in the Kremlin. Inside the Cathedral, an ornate religious ceremony was held which was presided over by the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. The new Emperor was anointed and adorned with the Imperial regalia, most important of which was the Imperial Crown of Russia. The Jeton displays a design of the Imperial Crown on the obverse, above the royal cipher – or monogram – of Nicholas I. The reverse displays the Imperial Crown in the upper portion as well, above a Cyrillic inscription stating: “Crowned in Moscow – 1826.” This beautifully simple and elegantly styled medal was struck in different metal types, with gold being the rarest. This piece has been specific gravity tested at 16.12 to verify that this piece is .850 fine gold. This gold coronation medal is sure to draw a crowd at the ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction in Chicago, as will the large number of highly collectible Russian coins and medals.

Look for this and other world numismatic pieces in our upcoming August ANA Sale. Preview this impressive coin along with the rest of our auction this August at the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio office located in Irvine California or New York City. For details please refer to the Auction Schedule/Details link under Current Auctions at www.StacksBowers.com. To schedule an appointment, please call 800.566.2580.