Soviet ruble of 1958 nears $10,000
In late November, Australia’s Sydney-based Noble Numismatics sold a cupro-nickel USSR ruble of 1958 (KM-134) for $9,486 [AUD13,147]. It may have been a steal at that price. In the mid…
In late November, Australia’s Sydney-based Noble Numismatics sold a cupro-nickel USSR ruble of 1958 (KM-134) for $9,486 [AUD13,147]. It may have been a steal at that price.
In the mid to late 1950s, plans for Soviet monetary reform were well under way, and a number of pattern coin designs were produced without being implemented. The best known is the 1958 series consisting of 1, 2, 3, and 5 kopeks in copper-zinc, and 10, 15, 20, and 50 kopeks and 1, 3, and 5 rubles in cupro-nickel.
These coins all had the same basic design, and it seems the series was approved and given the nod for mass production. This was well under way before the order was canceled.
Most of those struck were then melted without any being officially released. Today, all 1958 series pieces are exceedingly rare.
This is certainly the case with the 1 ruble, of which 30,700,000 had been struck before being returned to the melting pot. It is now a coin eagerly sought by Russian collectors.
That offered by Noble Numismatics came in aUNC with a tiny spot on the obverse. It carried an estimate of AUD7,000.
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