1762-СПБ HK Russian Empire Silver Rouble NGC AU-58 Peter III, St. Petersburg Mint

This is a silver ruble of the Russian Empire dated 1762 from the St. Petersburg mint (СПБ / CNB) with mint master initials HK, issued under Emperor Peter III and graded NGC AU 58. The obverse features a right-facing bust of Peter III in a cuirass with a sash and ribbon across the shoulder, detailed hair in a queue, and the Cyrillic legend “ПЕТРЪ•III•Б•М•ІМП•ІСАМОДЕРЖ•ВСЕРОС” surrounding the portrait, with the mintmark СПБ below. The reverse shows the crowned double-headed imperial eagle holding a scepter and orb, with the Moscow arms on its breast, the date 1762 above the central crown, and the legend “МОНЕТА РУБЛЬ” around the design. In condition, the coin exhibits sharp details with only the lightest friction on the highest points, strong original luster under even gray toning, and minimal marks, fully consistent with a high About Uncirculated grade. NGC has graded 137 coins overall, with 30 in this grade and 26 finer; highest is MS-64.

Struck during the brief six-month reign of Peter III (January–July 1762), grandson of Peter the Great and husband of the future Catherine the Great, this ruble belongs to a short and scarce series produced before his overthrow in a palace coup. Peter’s pro-Prussian policies, abrupt withdrawal from the Seven Years’ War, and unpopular domestic reforms alienated the nobility and military, leading to his rapid deposition and death; his coinage, including these silver rubles, represents one of the shortest imperial issues in Russian numismatic history and reflects the turbulent transition that ushered in Catherine’s long and transformative rule.