Russia, Tsar Nicholas II, 2 Kopeck

These 2 kopeck coins were struck under Tsar Nicholas II, the last emperor of Russia who was infamously executed by Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. The coins are highly detailed and most feature the state emblem of the Russian Empire: a double headed eagle.

Born into the 300 year old House of Romanov, Nicholas is generally remembered by historians as a well-meaning but poor ruler who was unable to handle the challenges of the early 20th century. He believed that his decisions were literally the will of God, and took a heavy handed approach in governing. This backfired when Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I, leaving Nicholas to take the brunt of the blame,

Nicholas's popularity plummeted until he was forced to abdicate the throne in 1917. Disgraced and imprisoned, he met his end when the entire royal family was executed by the Soviet government in 1918 and thrown into an unmarked grave. The executioners took great care to make the bodies unidentifiable, even using grenades to mangle the remains, and it was not until 1979 that the burial site of the royal family was found by an amateur archaeologist. On July 17th, 1998, eighty years after the brutal execution, the tsar and his family were given an official state funeral. In a controversial move, Nicholas II and his immediate family were also canonized as saints in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Each includes a Certificate of Authenticity.