![Russian Empire, Nicholas II, 15 Rouble, 1897 АГ. AU58 [WC6a-3] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WC6a-3-2.jpg)
Description
Russian Empire, Nicholas II of the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland 1894-1917 AD, Gold Fifteen Rouble (12.90g, 14mm), 1897 АГ, ‘Narrow rim’ type, Saint Petersburg mint, under mint master Apollon Grasgof. Obverse: Bare head of Emperor Nicholas II facing to the left, Cyrillic legend surrounds, “Б.М.НИКОЛАЙ II ИМПЕРАТОРЪ И САМОДЕРЖЕЦЪ ВСЕ РОСС.”. Reverse: Heraldic elements of the Armorial of the Russian Empire, denomination in Cyrillic and date surrounds below. Edge: Cyrillic inscription in incuse lettering, “2 ЗОЛОТНИКA 69,36 ДОЛЕЙ (А • Г) ЧИСТОГО ЗОЛОТА”. KM Y-65.2; Friedberg-177. Certified and graded by PCGS as Almost Uncirculated 58.
The obverse Cyrillic legend reads in full as “Mи́лости Бо́га, Никола́й II, импера́тор и самоде́ржец всей Росси́и”, transliterated as “mílosti Bóga, Nikoláj II, imperator i samodéržec vsej Rossíi”, with an English translation of “Of God’s Grace, Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat (Tzar) of All of Russia”. The edge Cyrillic legend reads as “2 золотника́, 69.36 до́лей чи́стого золота”, transliterated as “2 zolotniká, 69.36 dóljej chistogo zolotá”, with an English translation of “of 2 Zolotniks, 69.36 parts pure gold”.
The Zolotnik (золотник) was an old imperial Russian unit of weight based on the old gold coin called the ‘Zlatnik’ and weighed 4.26575 grams. It was divided into 96 parts or ‘dolya’ (до́ля), therefore 96 dolya was 100% purity. In the case of the 15 rouble coin, it is described on the edge as 2 zolotnik and 69.36 dolyas – the math: (69.36/96) x 4.26575 = 3.082 ; 3.082 + 8.5315 = 11.614 grams of actual gold.
