Review by <em>Richard.L.Rush.7@nd.edu (Richard L. Rush)</em>

<pre>
Moneti Rossii (Russian Coins) 1700-1917
Uzdenikov, V.V. 
Datastrom, Moscow 1992 - 678 pp.
ISBN 5-7130-0026-5
(In Russian/English)
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<p>In what is becoming one of the standard references 
on Russian Imperial coinage, Uzdenikov has broken new 
ground and given the collector of Czarist issues a new 
treatment of the subject.

<p>Uzdenikov has, indeed, ignored previous volumes 
on the milled coinage of Czarist Russia. There are no 
references to Brekke or Harris, this work is the
result of entirely new research. As an indicator of 
this fresh research, the volume lists all of the major,
known varieties and then proceeds to give detailed
coverage to minor die varieties. (In the world of 
Russian numismatics, die variety can make or break a 
coin's rarity and market value.) 

<p>Making a clean break with past references, of course,
also necessitated a new numbering system for attribution.
If you will take note, in more and more ads for Russian 
coins there are appearing Uzd#'s. 
    
<p>The book begins by jumping right into the actual 
cataloging itself. Arranged in the European model of
cataloging, rather than the American. In the U.S. most
refernce works are arranged by series, then denomination,
then listed by date and mint. This catalog takes a little
getting used to for those unfamiliar with the European
model. In keeping with this convention, the coins are
arranged chronologically. Listings are by year, with the 
denominations listed in descending order. The pages are
arranged in columns:

<ul>
<li>Year
<li>Reference number (Uzd#)
<li>Russian language descriptionl
<li>English language description
<li>Rim inscription
<li>Rarity code
<li>Illustration code
</ul>

<p>He begins with a chapter on gold/platinum issues, then 
silver, then bronze/copper.  Interspersed within these
listings are a detailed coverage of trial strikes, proofs,
Novodels (official restrikes), and commemoratives. There
are also chapters devoted to Patterns, "Special Issues", the 
Polish series, the Finnish series and the other associated
states, Countermarks and foreign coins associated to the
czar's family.
     
<p>The last 170 pages are a vast repository of references,
charts and tables. Included is a cross-refernce of Cyrillic
inscriptions, translating them into English. The reference
section is bi-lingual with each page in Cyrillic text, and the
facing page containing the English translation.  
**Reviewer's note** As a speaker of both Russian and English,
I can attest to the accuracy of the translations. There are no
glaring errors in content or grammar to detract from the work
if you do not speak Russian.
     
<p>All in all, this is a very important work and indispensable 
to the collector of pre-revolutionary Russian coins.

<pre>
(c) 1994, Richard L. Rush
Notre Dame, Indiana
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