Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (1863–1919)

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (August 23, 1863 – January 28, 1919) was a son of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia and a grandson of Emperor Nicholas I. He was a General in the Russian army and a renowned numismatist, amassing the most comprehensive collection of Russian coins ever assembled.

Born in Bielyi-Kliutsch, near Tiflis, Georgia, where his father served as Viceroy of the Caucasus, George Mikhailovich spent his early years in the Caucasus region. He received a rigorous military education and served in the army throughout his adult life, rising to the rank of General of Infantry.

Beyond his military career, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich was passionately interested in history and numismatics. He dedicated considerable time and resources to building a vast collection of Russian coins, acquiring examples from private collections, auctions, and even government sources. His collection was considered unparalleled in its scope and quality. He documented his collection extensively, publishing several important works on Russian numismatics, including Corpus Nummorum Russiae, a multi-volume catalogue detailing all known Russian coins. This work is still considered a standard reference for numismatists studying Russian coinage.

Grand Duke George was married to Princess Maria Georgievna of Greece and Denmark, daughter of King George I of Greece, in 1900. They had two daughters: Princess Nina Georgievna (1901-1939) and Princess Xenia Georgievna (1903-1965).

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich was arrested and imprisoned by the Bolsheviks. Along with his brother Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich, and their cousins Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich and Grand Duke Dmitri Konstantinovich, he was executed by firing squad in the Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) on January 28, 1919. His numismatic collection was confiscated by the Bolshevik government. A portion of his collection is now housed in the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich was later rehabilitated by the Russian government.