The silver coinage of Alexander I, prior to 1810, had been fitful, with the major emphasis being on the ruble. From 1807 to the late summer of 1810, the ruble was the only coin being struck in quantity, the other smaller denominations being little better than nominal coinages.
During the fall of 1810, there was a great change in the status of Russian silver coinage at the St. Petersburg Mint. This was not due to any sudden discovery of some great deposit of silver ore, but rather an about-face in the political arena. Alexander I decided it was time to return to an alliance with England and over the next few months implemented this decision.
In late 1807, as a result of military defeats at the hands of the French armies and direct pressure by Napoleon at the Tilsit conference of June, the Russian government reluctantly abandoned the long-standing opposition to France. On Oct. 26, 1807, the Russians notified the British that diplomatic relations were broken between the two countries. Moreover, Alexander I had agreed to accept the so-called Continental System, whereby Russia imported no goods of any kind from Britain, or any country opposed to France.
Relations with Britain were re-established towards the end
