WASHINGTON, December 2 (RIA Novosti) – Deep-pocketed coin collectors will soon have a chance to own several valuable pieces of Russian financial history as ultra-rare coins from the tsarist period are scheduled to be auctioned in New York in January.
The most valuable coins come from the collection of the Swedish collector Ake Linden, who served for years as a senior executive at the precursor organization to the World Trade Organization, according to London-based coin dealer Baldwin’s, which is running the auction.
Linden’s ambition was to own an example of every coin struck in the world after 1850, and in the process of achieving that aim he acquired what is likely to be the most expensive item at the auction, a 25 ruble gold coin issued in 1876 to celebrate the birthday of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.
Only 100 such coins were ever struck, and Linden’s is expected to sell for $200,000, Baldwin’s said Thursday.
Other rare items culled from Linden’s collection include coins that were introduced around the turn of the century by Russian Finance Minister Sergei Witte as part of his efforts to stabilize the ruble and to place it on the gold standard.
An 1897 imperial 10 ruble coin and an 1895 half-imperial five ruble coin from this period are estimated at $100,000 each, according to Baldwin’s.
The auction will also feature pieces from the collection of Russian Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, who had sought to own an example of every coin ever issued in the Russian Empire prior to his execution by the Bolsheviks in 1919.
The auction will be held on January 9 in New York, as part of the 42nd Annual New York International Numismatic Convention.
