1829-СПБ HT Russian Empire Silver Rouble NGC MS-65 St.Petersburg Mint

This is a silver ruble of the Russian Empire dated 1829 from the St. Petersburg mint (СПБ / CNB) with mint master initials HT (НГ), graded NGC MS 65. The side featuring the imperial eagle shows the crowned double-headed eagle with lowered wings, holding a scepter and orb, with the Moscow arms on its breast, the date “1829 ГОДА” below, and the legend “МОНЕТА РУБЛЬ” above. The opposite side displays a crowned inscription within a laurel-and-oak wreath reading “ЧИСТАГО СЕРЕБРА 4 ЗОЛОТН. 21 ДОЛЯ” (indicating the pure silver content), with the mintmark СПБ below. In condition, the coin is exceptional, with fully original mint luster, a sharp strike, virtually mark-free surfaces, and attractive light toning, fully justifying the high Mint State 65 grade. The reported mintage for the 1829 St. Petersburg ruble is approximately 5,510,000 pieces. NGC has graded 134 coins overall, with two (2) in this grade and one (1) finer; a MS-66.

Struck during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825–1855), this ruble belongs to the long-running “eagle with lowered wings” type that continued the reduced-weight silver standard established under Alexander I. By 1829 Russia was consolidating after the Decembrist revolt and pursuing a conservative, autocratic policy while expanding in the Caucasus and maintaining its status as a major European power; these large silver rubles remained the principal high-value circulating coin and reflected the stability of the imperial monetary system during the early years of Nicholas’s long rule.