The Krugerrands

"*After the war, you know, most survivors were a little bit paranoid about putting their money in banks, so my grandparents acquired 150 of these babies, and then my mother, 'cause she's a fucking piece of work she spent them all except for this one. (...) You know the price of gold fluctuates, but uh if I had to guess, (they'd be worth) $152,780.86.*"
— Nadia talking to Alan about the gold

**Krugerrands** are South African gold bullions that Vera Vulvokov appraised using her family's heirlooms in 1968. The purpose of buying the Krugerrands were "for when Hitler comes back" as Vera explains in the episode Coney Island Baby. The gold was eventually meant to be passed to Nadia before they were stolen. The disappearance of the Vulvokov family Krugerrands are one of the main conflicts in season two of Russian Doll.

## Timeline

* Nadia, while in her grandmother's body, time travels to Budapest in 1944. While in Budapest, Nadia receives word from Delia that there are warehouses in the city that the Nazis use to store all of the items stolen from Jewish people. Using this information, Nadia is able to acquire her family's heirlooms and hide them in a tunnel. Nadia gets help from a priest, Kiss László and asks for a letter to be mailed to her grandmother, Vera in 1968.
* In 1968, Vera receives the letter from Kiss László, travels to Budapest and goes back to New York to get the bullions appraised. While Nadia is in her grandmother's body, she is shocked to receive Krugerrands at the behest of Delia. Delia insists that gold is the most stable currency and Vera will have money "for when Hitler comes back." Nadia reluctantly leaves the appraisal and goes back home. Nadia leaves the gold under the couch -- the same place where they were stolen from originally. Nadia, being from the future knows that the Krugerrands are going to be stolen by her mother, Nora two decades later.
* In 1982, Lenora and her boyfriend, Chez sneak into Vera's home in the dead of night to steal the Krugerrands. Nadia is present in her mother's body and is unaware of what is stolen. Nadia flees from the house when she realizes that she's in her mother's body and returns to 2022. Unbeknownst to Chez, Nadia receives information from Ruth implying that Chez was partially responsible for the loss of the Krugerrands. Nadia returns back to 1982 tries to steal and back the Krugerrands, but before she is able to, Chez grabs the bullions and flees from his apartment. Nadia gives chase but is unable to catch up with him. Nadia wakes up in Vera's home and Vera expresses her disappointment in Nora for losing the Krugerrands. Nadia promises to make it up to Vera by finding the Krugerrands. Eventually, Nadia tracks down Chez to a gym where he informs her that he gave the money back to her the night prior, Nadia is unaware of the exchange because she wasn't in her mother's body. Nadia realizes that Nora spent the money to buy a car. Delia and Nadia in Nora's body meet outside of Nora's apartment as Delia is helping movers move Nora's items out of her apartment. Delia shames Nora for "Disgracing (the) enchantment" referencing Nadia's work while in 1944, something Nadia herself is unaware of as she hasn't gone back to 1944 yet. Nadia finds Ruth and tells her she intends on selling the car to buy back the bullions. Nadia is able to give back her car, but later at a flee market she's unable to buy back all 150 of the Krugerrands. Nadia states that she needs all of the bullions because her mother "won't make it" without them. Hearing this, Ruth sacrifices the wedding ring given to her by her late husband. The ring is enough to buy the bullions back. On the subway back to 2022, Nadia is distracted by Alan on another train. When Nadia turns around the Kruggerands are gone. Later, Lenora gives birth to Nadia and Vera gives a necklace made of one of the Krugerrands to her, saying that it's for Nadia when she grows up.
* In 1991, Nadia is seen wearing the Krugerrand necklace while in the car with her mother.
* In 2018, Nadia is wearing the Krugerrand during her 36th birthday party Time Loop. When prompted by Alan at a bar, she informs him of the origin of the Krugerrand. When asked about the value of the Krugerrands, Nadia tells him that it was worth $152,780.86. Nadia holds resentment towards her mother as the money was supposed to go into a college fund for Nadia. Nadia later gives the necklace to horse, stating that "it's too heavy." When Alan and Nadia are thrusted into two separate timelines, Nadia is originally apprehensive and irritable towards Alan when he tries to save her. It isn't until Alan references the "$152,780.86" line that Nadia begins to trust him as she doesn't tell the story to anybody.
* While in the void, an apparition of the bag containing the Krugerrands appear to Nadia who's carrying the baby version of herself. Nadia is unable to carry both the Krugerrands and her younger self so instead she opts to leave the Krugerrands behind.

## Trivia

* Chez calls the Krugerrands a "Coney Island" which he describes as "the thing that would've made everything better, if only it had happened, or didn't happen."
* There are many theories regarding what the Krugerrands represent, one of the most popular theories is that the Krugerrands represent trauma, and Nadia ultimately deciding to take her infant self instead of the bullions is a declaration that she's going to put herself first above her trauma.
* The Krugerrands appear in every episode as Nadia frequently wears the necklace containing one, given to her by her grandma.
* It's unknown whether the bag containing the Krugerrands was stolen on the subway or if the universe itself prevented them from entering 2022. This is consistent with the Second Season's theme of not having closure, much like Alan and Agnes not knowing what happened to Lenny.