Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins is a foundational two-volume reference work by the noted numismatic scholar Vladimir Bitkin, representing an essential resource for collectors and historians of Imperial Russian coinage. Published in Kiev in 2003 by Yunona-Moneta, this comprehensive set provides a detailed and systematic survey of Russian coins spanning more than two centuries, from the reforms of Peter the Great in 1699 through the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.
The first volume is dedicated to the earlier period of 1699 to 1740, a transformative era that saw the modernization of Russian currency and the establishment of new minting standards. The second volume continues the survey from 1740 through the end of the empire, covering the lengthy reigns of subsequent monarchs and the complex monetary developments of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Together, the two volumes comprise over one thousand pages of meticulously researched content, with each coin type illustrated and accompanied by detailed descriptions.
What distinguishes Bitkin’s catalogue as the standard work in its field is its comprehensive approach to variety identification and rarity assessment. The work provides systematic rarity ratings across multiple grades of preservation, enabling collectors to accurately evaluate their specimens. Edge information, mint marks, and distinctive varieties are carefully documented, with many entries including additional contextual notes and references to auction records. The bilingual presentation in both Russian and English makes this catalogue accessible to the international numismatic community, cementing its status as an indispensable reference for serious collectors, dealers, and museum curators working with Russian imperial coinage.
