Obverse. Photo © RARITETUS.ru
  • 50 Kopecks 1895-1914, Y# 58, Russia, Empire, Nicholas II
  • 50 Kopecks 1895-1914, Y# 58, Russia, Empire, Nicholas II
  • 50 Kopecks 1895-1914, Y# 58, Russia, Empire, Nicholas II, Edges: АГ, Plain, ЭБ, ФЗ, ВС
Description

Nicholas II (1868-1918) was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Duke of Finland, and titular King of Poland. Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until his forced abdication in 1917. His reign saw Imperial Russia go from being one of the foremost great powers of the world to economic and military collapse. Under his rule, Russia was decisively defeated in the Russo-Japanese War. The Anglo-Russian Entente, designed to counter German attempts to gain influence in the Middle East, ended the Great Game between Russia and the United Kingdom. As head of state, Nicholas approved the Russian mobilization of August 1914, which marked the beginning of Russia's involvement in the First World War, a war in which 3.3 million Russians were killed. Nicholas II abdicated following the February Revolution of 1917 during which he and his family were imprisoned and executed in 1918.

Obverse

Portrait of Nicholas II. Along the rim the official short title: By the Grace of God Nicholas II Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia.

Portrait designed by Anton Vasyutinsky (1858-1935). He was also an author of the USSR's golden Chervonets, Order of Lenin and Ready for Labour and Defence sign.

Б.М. НИКОЛАЙ II ИМПЕРАТОРЪ И САМОДЕРЖЕЦЪ ВСЕРОСС.

Reverse

Displays the Lesser Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire - a two-headed eagle crowned with two imperial crowns, over which the same third crown, enlarged, with two flying ends of the ribbon of the Order of Saint Andrew. The State Eagle held a scepter and globus cruciger. On the chest of the eagle there was an escutcheon with the arms of Moscow, depicting Saint George, mounted and defeating the dragon. The Lesser Coat of Arms depicts the imperial double-headed eagle with the addition of the collar of the Order of Saint Andrew around the escutcheon of St. George, and the Arms of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland, Kiev-Vladimir-Novgorod, Taurica, Poland and Kazan on the wings (seen clockwise).

The denomination and date are written under the eagle: 50 Kopecks 1909.

The globus cruciger (Latin, "cross-bearing orb"), also known as the orb and cross, an orb (Latin globus) topped (Latin gerere, to wear) by a cross (Latin crux), has been a Christian symbol of authority since the Middle Ages, used on coins, in iconography, and with the sceptre as royal regalia.

Order of St. Andrew was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia.

50 КОПѢЕКЪ 1909 Г.

Edge

Edge types:
• ЧИСТАГО CEPEБPA 2 ЗOЛOTНИКA 10.5 ДOЛЕЙ (mint master mark) — Saint Petersburg Mint
• ЧИСТАГО CEPEБPA 2 ЗOЛOTНИКA 10.5 ДOЛЕЙ ★ (1896, 1897, 1899) — Paris Mint, France
• Plain (1896, 1897) — Saint Petersburg Mint

Mint master marks:
АГ — Appolon Grasgof
ЭБ — Elikum Babayants
ФЗ — Felix Zaleman
АР — Aleksandr Redko
ВС — Viktor Smirnov

The fine weight is written around the edge: Pure silver 2 zolotniks 10,5 parts.

A zolotnik was a small Russian unit of weight, equal to 0.1505 avoirdupois ounces, or 4.2658 grams. Used from the 10th to 20th centuries, its name is derived from the Russian word zoloto, meaning gold. As a unit, the zolotnik was the standard for silver manufacture, much as the troy ounce is currently used for gold and other precious metals. This unit was originally based on a coin of the same name. The zolotnik circulated in the Kievan Rus until the 11th century; it was equal in weight to the Byzantine Empire's solidus.

ЧИСТАГО CEPEБPA 2 ЗOЛOTНИКA 10.5 ДOЛЕЙ (А•Г)

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Characteristics
Material Silver
Fineness 0.900
Weight 10 g
Diameter 26.75 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Alt # Y# 58.1, Y# 58.2
Mints
Paris Mint (A)
Saint Petersburg Mint (SPMD)

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