Nicholas I, full name Nikolai Pavlovich Romanov, was a Russian Grand Duke from the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov house, who ruled as Tsar of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 1825 until his death in 1855. He was born on July 6, 1796 in Gatchina, and died on March 2, 1855 in St. Petersburg. His father was Tsar Paul I of Russia, his mother was Tsarina Maria Fyodorovna of Württemberg. Among his siblings is the Russian Tsar Alexander I, whom he succeeded on the throne, as well as several other grand duchess and grand dukes. Several significant events took place during the reign of Tsar Nicholas, including the suppression of the Hungarian revolution of 1848-49 and the start of the Crimean War. During his reign, the economy and cultural life also underwent significant changes. His wife was Sarolta of Prussia, and among their children we find the later II. Tsar Alexander of Russia, Princess Maria of Leuchtenberg, Queen Olga of Württemberg and Princess Alexandra of Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim.I. Czar Nicholas was crowned on September 3, 1826 in Moscow. His resting place is in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. His religion was Russian Orthodox.

During the reign of Nicholas I, Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar of Russia and King of Poland (1825-1855), he preserved the independence of the Polish coinage and continued minting Polish coins. However, these Polish coins were often similar to Russian coins. During his reign, in addition to gold and silver coins, copper coins were minted in the territory of the Russian Empire. The gold and silver coins largely followed the denomination of the Russian ruble and bore the image of the tsar.I. During the reign of Nicholas II, some financial reforms were introduced in the Russian Empire, which affect the coinage and the functioning of the monetary system.