Not long after Czar Peter III was overthrown by his wife Catherine, in late June 1762, orders were issued that her coinage in gold and silver begin as soon as possible. It was considered then, as now, that the currency should reflect the real ruler of the country. Within a matter of weeks planning for the gold coinage was well underway.
The only gold coins struck for Catherine II in 1762 were imperials (10 rubles) and half imperials (5 rubles). St. Petersburg struck both denominations while Moscow managed only the larger of the two. Some 20,913 of the 5 rubles were coined and 32,085 of the 10 rubles. There is no breakdown available for the 10-ruble pieces between the two mints but it is thought that the bulk of the mintage was at the St. Petersburg Mint.
For collectors in the late nineteenth century the Moscow gold imperial was considered of the highest rarity while the St. Petersburg issue was easier to obtain. Moscow imperials and half imperials of Catherine II are also known for 1763 but are extremely rare, especially the five rubles. It is likely that the Moscow issues of 1762–1763 were in the nature of a trial coinage that never really got off the ground. The last gold coinage struck at Moscow, meant for public circulation, had been executed in 1758 under
