An 1896 Nicholas II presentation gold 25 roubles coin is valued at $125,000-150,000 ahead of a sale at Heritage Auctions in Chicago on April 12.
Around 300 of the rare coins were minted to celebrate the coronation of Nicholas II, with only a handful known to have survived until the present day.
 The coins were produced for the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896 |
Along with the 1908 25 roubles and the 1902 37½ roubles it contains an impressive 32.2g of gold.
Nicholas II was the last tsar of Russia, taking to the throne in 1894 and ruling for 23 years before he was forced to abdicate in 1917 in the wake of the February revolution.
A 1921 Canadian George V half-dollar carries an estimate of $100,000-150,000.
Around 75 of the coins are thought to have survived from a minting of 206,398 pieces. They were never released due to a lack of demand for the denomination and were shelved.
The majority were melted down in 1929 to facilitate the creation of a new set of half dollars. While far from being the rarest issue, they are highly sought after by collectors with the result that demand outpaces supply.
The record for the denomination was set by an MS-66 graded example that made $400,000 in a private sale in 2000.
You can view our fascinating range of rare, investment-grade coins here.
Why not sign up to our free newsletter?
