Winter Egg by Faberge

Faberge eggs are the most famous decorated Easter eggs. In 1883 the Russian Czar, Alexander, commissioned Faberge to make a special Easter gift for his wife, the Empress Marie.
This special Faberge eggs so delighted the Czarina that the Czar promptly ordered the Faberge firm to design further eggs to be delivered every Easter. In later years Nicholas II, Alexander's son,continued the custom. Fifty-sevenFaberge eggs were made in all.

The Winter Egg brought "big money" in modern times as well. In 1949, it was sold for a mere $4,760; but in 1994, it was acquired anonymously at public auction by an American businessman for the record price of $5.5 million dollars. During Christie's Auction on April 19 2002, Faberge scrambled the senses when its "Winter Egg" sold for $9.58 million, breaking the previous record for aFaberge egg at $3 million. "The intrinsic value of the egg is comparatively quite low," says Von Habsburg. "The Winter Egg consists of two blocks of rock crystal – a couple of thousand dollars – a bit of platinum and some three thousand minute rose cut diamonds – another couple of thousand dollars. So all in all, if you break this egg up, what is it worth? Four or five thousand dollars. What are you paying for? The vision and genius of Faberge !" This really exceptional First Day Cover with the Faberge eggs mini sheet is a treasured (for me) gift from My Dear Friend Merja. It was issued on 28.10.2005. It may be mentioned here that the Total print of this sheet was only 200 000 copies, in addition there were 2,500 numbered deluxe copies with real gold and silver embossing used.