Our January 2024 World and Ancient coin auction, held in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC), always provides an important venue for presenting some of the most exciting numismatic treasures from around the world. Of note, in the upcoming 2024 sale there will be a particular concentration of extremely important and seldom-encountered rarities from the Russian Empire. Two such pieces are the larger-format gold denominations of Peter III, the ill-fated German-born ruler whose brief reign lasted for just six months in 1762. While any of Peter’s coins are always hotly contested and rather difficult to encounter (owing to the limited period of their manufacture), the gold denominations, such as the 10 and 5 Rubles we will be presenting in January, are even more desirable. Graded PCGS MS-62 and AU-58+, respectively, these stunners always command a great deal of attention and garner immense enthusiasm upon crossing the auction block. The 5 Rubles, with a mintage figure of fewer than 10,000, specifically is almost never seen so enchanting. Given its near-Mint, problem-free state of preservation, it likely ranks among the finest that one can ever hope to acquire.
We note that each of these wondrous examples has fared far better than the man whose portrait they bear. Peter, despite being born in Germany, was grandson to Peter I “the Great,” and succeeded his aunt (Elizabeth) upon her death on Christmas Day 1761. His six months in power were marked by turmoil, the culmination of which saw his overthrow and his death under mysterious circumstances. The overt ambitions of his wife, the future Catherine II “the Great,” have ever since fueled speculation of her involvement in his downfall, though direct links have remained unclear. In any event, this chaotic period ultimately led to the paucity of coinage bearing the portrait and name of Peter III, which we expect to attract intense interest in these two colossal offerings.
To view our upcoming auction schedule and future offerings, please visit StacksBowers.com where you may register and participate in all our forthcoming sales.
We are always seeking coins, medals, and paper money for our auctions, and are currently accepting consignments for our January 2024 NYINC auction and for our spring 2024 Hong Kong auction. Additionally, we are accepting consignments for our Collectors Choice Online (CCO) auctions, the next of which will be in November, and the next for which we are accepting consignments scheduled for February 2024. If you would like to learn more about consigning, whether a singular item or an entire collection, please contact one of our consignment directors today and we will assist you in achieving the best possible return on your material.
