Russian 3 Coin Commemorative Proof Set 1986

Windycity

Can't find much about this set... even google search finds next to nothing. Anyone know much about this?

Pat

LochNESS

Well, according to Wikipedia, this bank is "used by the Russian government to support and develop the Russian economy, to manage Russian state debts and pension funds. It is a part in the governments plan to diversify the Russian economy, and to do so receives funds directly from the state budget."

It would appear that the bank assembled these 3-coin sets to sell to collectors in attempt to increase revenue for the government. Similar to the way the US Mint packages and sells proof sets. Except, since these weren't assembled and issued by the mint, it's a spurious set? I mean, yes they are proof coins, from the same year, but is it official?

SaorAlba

They were issued by Mezhnumismatika - which was a joint W. German and Soviet venture to sell off current and also older coins from the USSR and even the Baltic states coinages. Somewhere I have an old catalogue they mailed me ca. 1989.

LochNESS

Thanks, SaorAlba! So was this an official or unofficial set? Where is the line drawn between government and private enterprise? The coins are genuine and official strikes, of course, but is it considered a "set" by collectors? does this packaging have any added numismatic value?

SaorAlba

It was officially issued, but the distinction betwixt Mezhnumizmatika and the GosBank was a bit murky. The former was the numismatic outlet that was the partnership with the German firm, and the latter was the State Bank for Foreign Trade. Mezhnumizmatika seems to have gone bye bye in the early 1990s - their prices were always ridiculously high and it was usually possible to buy the older coins in the open market, even the black market in the USSR for far less. They did sell specially minted gold medals at ridiculous prices then, but they are now pretty collectable as Russians can now legally own them. Back in the USSR it was not legal to collect coins, hoard gold or silver(but of course it happened and I could buy gold on the black market).

LochNESS

<< <i>Back in the USSR it was not legal to collect coins, hoard gold or silver ... >>


Huh, didn't know that. Guess I'm not surprised but still sucks.

So, it sounds like this set may have come with a premium back in the day but in today's market isn't worth any more than the individual coins combined.

SaorAlba

<< <i>

<< <i>Back in the USSR it was not legal to collect coins, hoard gold or silver ... >>


Huh, didn't know that. Guess I'm not surprised but still sucks.

So, it sounds like this set may have come with a premium back in the day but in today's market isn't worth any more than the individual coins combined. >>



Often times sets from before the early 1980s are worth significantly more than catalogue values - it is the Russian market driving prices up. Back in the late 1970s there was only a small collecting base of outside the USSR collectors. It really was difficult to support prices without a native base of collectors - of course that has changed. I have friends that were collecting back then - but rather surrepticiously. When I was there I can remember finding coins for sale including some 18th century bronzes and buying them and "smuggling" them out. Even now it is illegal to take stuff out of Russia that is older than 50 years without a laborious to process license.

pruebas

<< <i>Even now it is illegal to take stuff out of Russia that is older than 50 years without a laborious to process license. >>


Not to hijack the tread, but this is the same in Mexico for coins minted before 1900.

Kind of odd when you are talking about 8 Reales, the defacto world trade coin of the 19th Century.

SaorAlba

<< <i>

<< <i>Even now it is illegal to take stuff out of Russia that is older than 50 years without a laborious to process license. >>


Not to hijack the tread, but this is the same in Mexico for coins minted before 1900.

Kind of odd when you are talking about 8 Reales, the defacto world trade coin of the 19th Century. >>



Just don't draw attention to yourself when you are leaving the country. I have heard about people being searched at the airport by customs and being arrested for having 100+ year old coins.

LochNESS

For some reason I have an easy time envisioning this scenario in Russia, but not Mexico. It seems smuggling coins out of Mexico would be rather simple. Of course this is probably Hollywood stereotypes talking, and certainly not experience. I did however drive to Canada once, and they didn't even make me get out of the car. They didn't even make me cut off the engine. The guy didn't even get out of his little booth to search underneath my car with a mirror, nor pop the trunk open ... seems like Mexico would be similarly easy, no?