Interesting history of the Konstantinovsky ruble. After the death of Alexander I, brother Constantine was to come to the throne. But he refused to accept the throne, being in Poland and refusing even to come to Russia and officially confirm his refusal, fearing to repeat the fate of his father Paul I. Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg mint had prepared a silver ruble with his portrait in advance. Only five or six copies of this ruble were minted, which turned out to be a source of sedition. The very fact of minting this ruble was kept in the strictest confidence. And only 55 years later, Emperor Alexander II gave the surviving rarities to his closest relatives and transferred one copy to the Hermitage.
During the reign of Nicholas I, a Russian commemorative ruble appeared for the first time, or, as collectors usually say, “anniversary.” It is for collectors that commemorative coins are still issued to this day. There has been a demand for such coins since the 1830s. Collecting coins with memorable dates was already considered a sign of aristocracy.
