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Rouble - Catherine II Pattern
| Issuer | Imperial Russian Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1766 |
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| Currency | Rouble (1700-1917) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing draped bust of Catherine II occupying the central field, her hair elaborately dressed and pinned, wearing an imperial mantle with decorative ornamentation visible at the shoulder and chest. The effigy is rendered in high relief with fine portrait detail characteristic of Timofey Ivanov's engraving style. A circular Cyrillic legend surrounds the bust, reading the titles of the Empress as Empress and Autocrat of All Russia. The mint mark СПБ (Saint Petersburg) appears in the lower field beneath the portrait. The coin's rim is defined by a beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | 1766 СПБ ЯI |
| Additional information |
This 1766 pattern rouble was produced as part of Catherine II's broader monetary reform effort following her 1762 coup, during which she sought to consolidate financial credibility after years of debasement under Elizabeth and the chaotic brief reign of Peter III. Pattern issues of this type were struck in multiple alloy trials — the .750 fineness here represents a deliberate reduction from the .802 standard of earlier roubles, a cost-saving measure the empress ultimately chose not to implement for circulation coinage.
Bitkin 974 is among the rarer die marriages in this pattern sequence, with surviving examples concentrated in a handful of institutional collections.