Lot 808
Russia. 'Dassier' Ruble, 1757-SPB. Bitkin-189; Sev-1686; Dav-1680. Jacques Dassier portrait type. Elizabeth, 1741-1762. Crowned and draped bust right. Reverse: Crowned double-headed eagle, with scepter and orb. Due to an imperfect planchet, some of the design details are not fully struck up, such as the Czarina's ear, some of the hair above it, and the breast. On the reverse, the left center shield and lower left parts of the eagle are soft because of slight planchet thinness at those points, with the left initial just barely visible. Nevertheless, here is a wonderfully fresh ruble, a beautiful coin with shimmering slightly reflective surfaces, no post-production defects, and resplendent with mint luster. A very choice, even pristine, and fully original specimen having delicate silvery toning. Extremely rare this fine. NGC graded MS-64.
This is a rare portrait type, from dies executed by Jacques Dassier (1676-1763), issued for a few months only. Two reverse dies are known, one with and one without the initials under the eagle. From 1740 to 1745, Dassier was assistant engraver at the Royal Mint in London. After a 3-year sojourn in Russia, where he produced the dies for Elizabeth's silver roubles and her gold ten roubles, he died in 1759 at Copenhagen. His designs are among the most interesting and attractive of the period and now much in demand. This very choice ruble is possibly the finest known of its type.
Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000.
Ex Dr. Robert D. Hesselgesser Collection (5/30 - 6/1/05), lot 1841; ex Fuchs Sale, April 1996, Lot 255.
|
| |
| Realized $195,500 |
