1842 3 Rouble (Platinum)

Russia is the only country in history to have struck platinum as a regular circulating coinage. Between 1828 and 1845, under Tsar Nicholas I, the St. Petersburg Mint issued 3, 6, and 12 Rouble platinum pieces - all struck from native platinum ore mined in the Ural Mountains, where the Demidov family had recently discovered enormous deposits.

The 3 Rouble was the workhorse of the series. Each piece weighs 10.35 grams of nearly pure (97%+) platinum, and bears the Imperial double-headed eagle on the obverse with the denomination, weight ("ПЛАТИНЫ 2 ЗОЛ. 41 ДОЛ." - 2 zolotniks 41 dolyas of platinum), date, and St. Petersburg mintmark on the reverse.

The experiment ended in 1845 when the Russian government grew alarmed at falling world platinum prices and the very real risk of mass counterfeiting from European refiners. The remaining stocks were demonetized and largely melted, making surviving examples - especially in AU and better - genuinely scarce today. This 1842 piece, NGC AU-58, retains the sharp design elements and original surfaces that define the type at the very top of circulated grade.