One of the perks of richness and nobility during the Russian Empire often translated into copies of rare coins called novodels.
Modern collectors who must make do with reproductions of famous U.S. numismatic rarities may well yearn to have lived during a period when they could receive essentially "made-to-order" Russian coins for their collections.
According to R. Scott Carlton's International Encyclopedia of Numismatics, "novodel" means "new made." It is also referenced as "newly minted," in The Copper Coinage of Imperial Russia 1700-1917 by B.F. Brekke.
The term refers to restrikes of early coins made for collectors by the Russian mints from 1738 to 1890.
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Images courtesy of HeritageAuctions.com. ONE OF THE earlier novodels is the 1654 Jefimok ruble of Alexei Mikhailovich. It shows the tsar, with a scepter, on horseback, along with the Russian imperial eagle.
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In The Silver Coinage of Imperial Russia, 1682-1917, H. Severin writes, "To Russian collectors of the old regime, restrikes or novodels were highly regarded and served to fill incomplete cabinets with rarities and other desirable items."
According to the Macmillan Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatics by Richard G. Doty, the term novodel applies to three classes of coins.
The first use includes pieces struck as copies of rare coins that were not readily available to collectors, and that required the production of new dies.
The second use defines coins struck with dates not used on ordinary issues to fill in missing dates in collections, also requiring new dies be prepared. Novodels of this type are most frequently seen with dates between 1780 and 1810, according to Doty.
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Images courtesy of HeritageAuctions.com. ISSUANCE OF NOVODELS began gaining wider acceptance during the reign of Catherine II as evidenced by this gold 5-ruble novodel from 1781.
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The third kind of novodel includes coins that were struck originally in small numbers. The original dies were then used again later to make examples for collectors. (Novodels of this class are technically "restrikes.")
Numismatic researcher R.W. Julian adds a fourth type of novodel, in his book Russian Silver Coinage 1796-1917. Julian describes the fourth category as covering fantasy pieces from dies not meant for coinage.
The beginnings
The practice of striking novodels began in the 1730s. Brekke writes, "At the time monetary matters were in the hands of the Finance Minister, von Munnich, the brother of Field Marshal von Munnich, a noted numismatist."
Brekke suggests that these early novodels were likely struck for the field marshal's collection, but can no longer be distinguished from the originals of that era.
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Images courtesy of Stack's Coin Galleries. 1723 RUBLE of Peter I from the St. Petersburg Mint is clearly a novodel, because the St. Petersburg Mint did not commence operations until 1724.
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The Seaby Coin Encyclopedia by Ewald Junge pinpoints a Russian law of 1762 that allowed collectors to order a restrike of any coin not in current circulation. According to Junge, collectors vied with each other to create varieties and mules that were original and interesting in order to have "unique" pieces in their collections.
Brekke notes that in 1762, under Czar Peter III, some coins are believed to have been restruck from original dies for museums and "perhaps for some important collections, but it was not until the 1770s that the practice began on a more or less regular basis."
Severin notes that the practice originated during Catherine the Great's reign, "when several influential collectors petitioned the empress to order new strikings of earlier coins in the various metals."
(Catherine the Great's reign began when Peter III's ended in mid-1762, so the variance between Brekke and Severin seems minor.)
The practice remained in place until 1890.
The Russian mints issued copper, silver and gold novodels in the numerous denominations of Russian coinage of the time. It's also noteworthy that novodels of Russian medals exist, so apparently the practice that was then in place for copying rare coinage was accepted for medals as well.
It's not hard to understand why novodels were made, given a rudimentary understanding of the geo-political situation.
Doty writes: "The rationale for this special coinage is hardly complex. The aristocrats of the Russian Empire were numerous, powerful and quite accustomed to special favors. As many of the nobility were avid collectors of Russian coins by date, the mints were more than willing to strike whatever novodels they needed to complete their collections."
Severin reprints a Jan. 18, 1890, letter that Grand Duke Georgii Mikhailovich sent to the state secretary of Finance requesting legislation prohibiting the practice of striking novodels. Grand Duke Mikhailovich printed the letter in his book Russian Coins 1881-1890.
Mikhailovich writes: "According to existing legislation on coinage in Russia, every private person has the right to order from the St. Petersburg Mint not only individual but whole collections of coins long out of circulation. In other countries where numismatics holds an outstanding place in the ancillary sciences, this type of legislation is unthinkable. To a numismatist undaunted by problems, obstacles or even considerable expenditures, there is no greater reward than to discover a coin of high rarity, which in itself often clarifies certain scientific points."
Mikhailovich continues: "With the current laws which offer unlimited specimens by new strikings, the interest of the numismatist is considerably diminished. Another fact to be mentioned is that with an abundance of newly struck coins it is more difficult for numismatists and particularly beginners to find evidence of counterfeits. It is easy to be mistaken and attribute a new striking as counterfeit because true identification requires the knowledge and experience of many years."
Ending the custom
The practice of making novodels ended in Russia under Czar Alexander III as a result of advocacy by Grand Duke Mikhailovich, a serious numismatist.
Those same issues cited by the grand duke in his letter affect the study and collection of novodels today. Brekke writes: "Opinion differs among the experts as to the status of novodels. While some relegate all novodels to the realm of forgeries, most take a more discerning attitude, accepting some of them as legitimate pieces and rejecting others."
Despite the controversial status of the Russian novodels, Doty says the pieces remain highly sought after today, as they "are often the only clues we have to the look of early Russian coins."
According to Julian, in most cases, it is possible to identify a novodel by examining some feature of the coin, such as a crown, the weight (which is often incorrect), or the number of acorns or berries in the wreath in certain designs.
Not just Russian
An interesting side note is that many famous U.S. rarities can be classified as novodels.
The Proof restrike 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1804 Draped Bust dollars fall into this category (the Philadelphia Mint struck the coins years after the dates the coins bear). The coins in the set of 1866 Seated Liberty, No Motto quarter dollar, half dollar and dollar, recovered some 30 years after they their theft from a DuPont family home in Florida, were novodels of the first category described by Doty. The famous 1913 Liberty 5-cent coin is a novodel of the second category.
Those interested in learning more about novodels of the Russian variety might consider joining the Russian Numismatic Society. Its newsletter often includes articles about novodels, shedding new light on the topic.
The headquarters of the Russian Numismatic Society can be contacted by mail at Box 3684, Santa Rosa, CA 95402, or by telephone at (707) 527-1007.
