Russia

Russia, Alexander I (1777-1801-1825), Pattern Rouble, 1804, the original obverse die, by Conrad Heinrich Küchler, his uniformed bust in intaglio, with high collar and Sash of Order, legend around, ALEXANDER I D:G IMP AVTOCR RVSSOR, 50 x 66mm (Pollard 29 (i); Diakov 293.1; Bitkin 691. Severin 2552; BDM VI, 396, illus), small alignment marks at compass points around 'coin'. Good fine, actual coin surface showing rust damage.

The legend shows Alexander as, "By God's grace Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia". Portrait to the right. Boulton had made a gift of coins from the Soho mint to the Russian Court and was immediately commissioned to supply a complete mint to the Russian Government. This was shipped in 1800 immediately following a special act of Parliament that allowed the export. The portrait for this die and that in the the following lot, was modelled in London in wax by Peter Rouw from a bust of the Emperor in the possession of a Mr. Weissinghausen Küchler then worked from the wax, though Boulton subsequently borrowed the bust for Küchler to work from.