Outdated Russian monetary units. Description of denominations and current prices

Doctor of Technical Sciences Igor Mikulenok

A memorial sign for the kopek of 1612 was installed in Yaroslavl on the site of the temporary mint where this coin was minted. Popularly referred to as “Penny money”, it was used to purchase provisions, uniforms and weapons for the people’s army of Minin and Pozharsky.

Kopek 1600.

Kopek of Peter I, issued in 1705.

A square kopeck weighing 16.38 g and measuring 23 × 23 mm was minted at the Yekaterinburg Mint in 1726.

Kopek 1795.

Kopek of Nicholas II, issued in 1915.

Kopek 1924.

Kopek 1931.

Kopek 1997.

Paper penny model 1915.

Paper penny model 1924.

Cross section of a round coin.

The largest gold coin in the world - 1,000,000 Australian dollars - weighs 1 ton.

Obverse and reverse of the most beautiful Mexican silver coin of 2005.

Obverse and reverse of a 2010 50,000 ruble gold coin.

Copper coin in the form of a square plate worth 1 ruble of Catherine I.

“A penny saves the ruble” - they say in Rus' when they manage to save money on something or pick up a coin dropped by someone. It must be admitted that today this old saying is becoming a thing of the past. A “living” penny can no longer be found during the day with fire - they stopped minting it as unnecessary.

Over almost five hundred years of history, the purchasing power of the penny has, of course, changed more than once, but at all times it has remained a tangible monetary unit. So, in the middle of the 15th century, under Ivan IV (the Terrible), a pound of rye cost 5 kopecks, and an ax - 7 kopecks. Almost four centuries later, at the beginning of the First World War, a kilogram of beef or lamb on the market could be bought for 25 kopecks, and chicken for 30. More recently, in the 1960s - early 1980s, a slice of bread cost one kopeck in the dining room, a simple pencil, a glass of sparkling water without syrup, a box of matches, a postal envelope without a stamp.

The penny depreciated especially rapidly at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. It got to the point that in 2012 the cost of producing a one-kopeck coin was 47 kopecks, and a nickel was 69 kopecks. Then the Central Bank of Russia stopped issuing coins in denominations of 1 and 5 kopecks.

Where did the penny come from in Rus'? Our state’s own coins appeared at the end of the 10th century under Grand Duke Vladimir. Silver and gold, they were minted for almost two centuries, and then there was a long break. Only in 1385 Dmitry Donskoy resumed coin production. By the beginning of the 15th century, a variety of coins were in circulation throughout the vast territory of the Russian centralized state, minted at different times in different principalities.

Coins were minted on flattened pieces of silver wire. These were oblong plates, on the front side (obverse) of which numbers or letters were stamped, indicating the denomination of the coin, and on the back (reverse) - a design. (Because of their characteristic shape, numismatists call such coins “scales.”)

Taking advantage of the fact that coins of the same denomination often differed in size and weight, people began, without any embarrassment, to break off or cut off pieces from them, which they used to pay in taverns or markets when buying and selling small goods. This caused distrust in money and could ultimately undermine the basis of monetary relations. The only way out of the situation was to introduce a ban on the use of absolutely all existing coins and replace them with new ones.

In 1534-1535, Elena Glinskaya, the mother of the young Ivan IV (the Terrible), who after the death of her husband, Grand Duke Vasily III, became the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, finally carried out a monetary reform just before her son’s accession to the throne. The new coin was minted with a horseman holding a spear in his hands, and in this way it differed from the old Moscow money with the image
horseman holding a saber. The coin began to be called a penny. This name is most likely associated with the
mounted on it by a horseman with a spear. Some researchers believe that this is St. George the Victorious, striking a serpent with a spear, others believe that Grand Duke Ivan III is on the horse, since the rider has a crown on his head - a symbol of royal power.

There is another version of the origin of the word “kopek”. According to the explanatory dictionary of Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl, in those distant times, ordinary people began to little by little save money, in other words, to save, which led to the emergence of a new word (it was first minted on a coin as a denomination only in 1704).

There is a third assumption: the origin of the word “kopek” is associated with the coins of the Khan of the Golden Horde, Kepek, who lived at the beginning of the 15th century. They were called “kepek dinar” (Kepek dinars). But since during archaeological excavations on the territory of Russian settlements of the 15th-16th centuries not a single such coin was found, this version seems doubtful.

In the monetary system in force after the reform of 1534-1535, there was no coin larger than a penny. Its mass was equated to the mass
money of the “free” city of Novgorod - 0.68 g.

By the end of the 17th century, a financial crisis was once again brewing in the country. Due to massive damage to coins and, as a consequence,
After a significant reduction in their weight (literally and figuratively), the penny gradually turned into a small piece of silver weighing 0.4 g. Such money could not satisfy the requirements of the market: large payments in kopecks required a huge amount of time to clear the account, and for the needs of small trade, a penny was all still had too high a price. For large-scale commerce and everyday communication with the market, a new developed coin system was needed.

Peter I decided on a monetary reform. Preparations for the reform began in the mid-1690s. It was carried out consistently and carefully for a decade and a half, not without reason fearing a repetition of the “copper revolt” - the brutally suppressed uprising in Moscow of 1662, when the ill-conceived monetary reform that began in 1654 led to mass discontent among the working people and the subsequent abolition of copper money.

Initially, copper coins with a denomination of less than a kopeck were introduced into monetary circulation: dengu (1/2 kopeck), polushka (1/4 kopeck) and half-polushka (1/8 kopeck). It took a long time for people to get used to the new money: it was difficult for them to realize that the usual silver penny was equal to two money, four half coins or eight half coins made of copper.

In 1701, silver half and half a half, as well as gold coins - chervonets - appeared. One chervonets weighed approximately 3.4 g. Finally, in 1704, a silver ruble and a large copper kopeck equal to 0.01 of its face value were minted, which replaced the silver kopeck. However, the minting of kopecks of the old, pre-reform model continued until 1718, and the image on the coin of a horseman with a spear remained unchanged until 1796.

On some of Peter's coins, copper and silver, in addition to the word denoting the denomination, dots or lines were minted, the number of which corresponded to this very denomination. Such coins could be used by illiterate people, and at that time there were an overwhelming majority of them in the Russian Empire. The year of issue appeared on coins in 1696. Initially, it was counted from the “creation of the world,” but after the adoption of a new chronology in Russia in 1700, the year of issue began to be counted from the “Nativity of Khrestov” and minted on coins in Arabic numerals.

The monetary reform of Peter I brought the Russian monetary system among the most advanced in Europe. She gave the country convenient means of payment in the form of silver and copper coins. The set of their denominations was based on the decimal principle (similar systems were introduced in 1792 in the USA: the dollar and its hundredth part - a cent, in 1795 in France: the franc and its hundredth part - a centime). In 1726, the previously existing account for money and altyns was prohibited. As a result, a unified monetary circulation system was established throughout multinational Russia. Half a century later, in 1757, coins with a denomination of two kopecks (penny) appeared, in 1827 - three kopecks, in 1762 and 1796 coins with a denomination of four kopecks were minted, and in 1723 the “penny” appeared for the first time.

Few people know that during its long history, the penny was not only metal, but also paper. In 1915, when more and more metal was needed for the needs of the First World War, the government of Nicholas II, along with the traditional “ruble” banknotes, issued a paper penny. On the banknote there was an inscription: “It has the same circulation as a copper coin.” In addition to the “kopeck” banknote, they began issuing banknotes in denominations of 2, 3, 5 and 50 kopecks (on the 50-kopeck banknote, unlike the “changes”, there was an inscription: “It is circulated on a par with a silver coin”).

The first Soviet kopeck came into circulation in 1924. It was minted on blanks of the same size and from the same alloy as copper kopecks in Tsarist Russia. At the same time, due to an acute shortage of metal coins, Soviet paper kopecks began to be issued. These were state change treasury notes of the USSR in denominations of 1, 2, 3, 5 and 50 kopecks. On all banknotes, the denomination was printed on the front and back in Russian and in the national languages ​​of the five Soviet republics that formed the USSR. From 1925 to 1928, copper coins in denominations of 1/2 kopeck (half a kopeck) were issued.

Scarce copper, necessary for the development of industry, was used for the production of coins. In this regard, since 1926, the country switched to minting coins in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks from aluminum bronze. A kopeck began to weigh exactly 1 g, two kopecks - 2 g, three kopecks - 3 g, five kopecks - 5 g, and in the Soviet ruble it was exactly 100 g as small change. Now, in financial institutions, “coppers” were not counted, but weighed, and their mass in grams exactly corresponded to the amount in kopecks. Often these coins were used not only as miniature weights, but also as a ruler, since the diameter of the 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopeck coins was exactly 15, 18, 22 and 25 mm, respectively.

In the USSR, they tried not to withdraw small change coins from circulation due to their high cost. During the monetary reform of 1947, the penny was not touched at all, and after the reform of 1961, small change coins began to be made not from aluminum bronze, but from a cheaper copper-zinc alloy. However, coins in denominations of 1, 2 and 3 kopecks of the old type continued to remain in circulation along with the new ones.

In the early 1990s, inflation “ate” the penny. As a monetary unit, it was practically destroyed, but remained legal tender until December 31, 1998. By decision of the Central Bank, new money was put into circulation on January 1, 1998. On the reverse of the new kopeck, as under Ivan the Terrible, a horseman with a spear was minted. The old kopecks were denominated - they could be exchanged for new ones at the rate of 1000: 1.

The production of Russian coins in denominations of up to 5 rubles remained unprofitable, and, as already mentioned, in 2012 the Central Bank decided to stop issuing coins in denominations of 1 and 5 kopecks. Thus, just short of its half-millennium anniversary, the penny as a monetary unit practically ended its existence. Is it forever?

Details for the curious

Coin close up

A coin is a monetary sign minted from metal. They can be gold, silver, copper, aluminum, platinum, palladium, niobium, tantalum, titanium and other metals and alloys based on them. In the history of banknotes, coins made of stone, wood, and mollusk shells are also known.

Coins can have not only the traditional round shape, but also round with a wavy edge, triangular, quadrangular (square, rectangular, diamond-shaped), five-, six-, seven-, octagonal. There are also coins with holes.

The front side of the coin - the obverse - bears the image of the official symbols (state emblem, emblem of the national bank, etc.), the denomination of the coin, and the year of issue. On precious coins, the obverse bears the designation of the precious metal according to the periodic table, the fineness of the alloy, the mass of pure precious metal in the coin and the trademark of the manufacturer's mint.

On the reverse side - the reverse - there are portraits or drawings related to the topic to which the coin is dedicated, or other symbolism.

The side surface of the coin is called the edge.

All drawings and inscriptions applied to the obverse and reverse of the coin are in relief, that is, they protrude above the flat areas free of images and inscriptions. On some coins, usually on the edge, the inscriptions are not protruding, but
deep font.

The totality of all the inscriptions on the obverse, reverse and edge of the coin is called a legend.

The edge of the coin disk on the obverse and reverse sides is framed by an edging that protrudes above the relief image on both sides of the coin and in plan has the shape of a continuous narrow ring.

The total weight of the coin is expressed in grams or troy ounces (1 troy ounce is equal to 31.1035 g).

According to the peculiarities of the technological process of minting, coins are divided into two groups: those made in improved “proof” quality and those made in ordinary “uncirculated” quality. Proof quality coins are mostly collectible commemorative banknotes. They are made individually with a high degree of handcraft. Uncirculated quality coins are products of traditional highly automated minting production: exchange and change coins in circulation, as well as coins made of precious metals for investment purposes, the mintage of which can reach several million pieces.

Figures and facts

Record-breaking coins

● The heaviest and largest gold coin is considered to be 1 million Australian dollars, produced in 2011 at the Australian Mint. Its weight is 1000 kg (999.9 fine gold), diameter - 80 cm, thickness 12 cm. Before it, the heaviest were recognized as a Canadian coin with a face value of 1 million dollars, weighing 100 kg, and an Austrian coin with a face value of 100,000 euros, weighing 31.1 kg .

● Members of the World Confederation of Mints, who met in May 2008 in South Korea, recognized the 2005 Mexican silver coin depicting the coat of arms of Mexico and the Aztec calendar as the most beautiful coin.

● The largest purchasing power in the Russian Federation has a commemorative coin with a face value of 50,000 rubles, 130 mm in diameter, 23 mm thick, made of 5 kg of pure gold. It was released for the 150th anniversary of the Bank of Russia on February 1, 2010, with a circulation of 50 copies. As legal tender, this coin must be accepted for payment throughout Russia at a face value of 50,000 rubles.

The heaviest coin in the Russian Empire was 1 ruble of Catherine I - a square copper plate with round seals and coats of arms of Russia on the four corners. Coin weight - 1.6 kg, size - 18 × 18 cm, thickness - 5 mm.

● In modern Russia, the heaviest commemorative coin made of 900 silver with a face value of 200 rubles with the inscription: “275th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Mint” is considered the heaviest. Its weight is 3342 g, circulation is 150 pieces.

• ruble = 2 half rubles
• half = 50 kopecks
• five-altyn = 15 kopecks
• kryvennik = 10 kopecks
• altyn = 3 kopecks
• penny = 2 kopecks
• 2 money = 1/2 kopeck
• half = 1/4 kopeck

In Ancient Rus', foreign silver coins and silver bars - hryvnias - were used.
If the product cost less than a hryvnia, it was cut in half - these halves were called TIN or Ruble.
Over time, the word TIN was not used, the word Ruble was used, but half a ruble was called half-tina, a quarter - half-half-tina.
On silver coins of 50 kopecks they wrote COIN POLE TINA.

The ancient name of the RUBLE is TIN.

• Altyn(from Tatar Alty - six) - an ancient Russian monetary unit.

  Altyn - from the 17th century. - a coin consisting of six Moscow money.
  Altyn - 3 kopecks (6 money).
  Five-alty ruble - 15 kopecks (30 money).

• Dime- Russian ten-kopeck coin, issued since 1701.

  Two hryvnia - 20 kopecks.

• Grosh
  - a small copper coin in denomination of 2 kopecks, minted in Russia in the 17th century.

  4 kopecks is two pennies.

• Money (denga)- a small copper coin of 1/2 kopeck, minted in Russia.
• Gold ruble- monetary unit of Russia from 1897 to 1914.
  The gold content of the ruble was 0.774 g pure gold.
• Kopeck money
  Kopek- Russian monetary unit, from the 16th century. minted from silver, gold, copper.
  The name “kopeck” comes from the image on the reverse of the coin of a horseman with a spear.
• Kopek- since 1704 Russian copper small change, 1/100th of a ruble.
• Poltina (Poltina)- Russian coin, 1/2 share of a ruble ( 50 kopecks).
  Since 1654, fifty kopecks have been minted from copper, since 1701 - from silver.
• Polushka- 1/4 kopeck
  Half a half- 1/8 kopeck.
  The half-polushka (polpolushka) was minted only in 1700.
• Ruble- monetary unit of Russia.
  Regular minting of the silver ruble began in 1704. Copper and gold rubles were also minted.
  Since 1843, the ruble began to be issued in the form of a paper treasury note.

Post block "Bank of Russia"

• portrait Evgeniy Lamansky, manager of the State Bank of the Russian Empire in 1867–1881;
• 3 kopecks 1841 - the period of the silver standard, introduced by the monetary reform of E.F. Kankrina 1839–1841;
• 1 ruble 1866 - a coin of regular minting from the period of the first years after the formation of the State Bank of the Russian Empire;
• golden chervonets 1923 - introduced into circulation during the monetary reform by G.Ya. Sokolnikov 1922–1924;
• coin denomination 1 ruble 2014 year with the image of the graphic designation of the ruble in the form of a sign and the modern building of the Bank of Russia.

HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE COPPER PENNY OF 1704.

I think that those who are involved in numismatics, collecting or treasure hunting for Russian coins have heard more than once about the monetary reform of Peter the Great (Peter 1), as a result of which the most mysterious and controversial coin of the Russian Empire was born. The next few paragraphs are devoted to the history of the origin of the copper penny of 1704 with the letters “BK” and “MD”. As often happens, studying the history of the origin of this coin is associated with a rather large drawback or vagueness of the available documents, which often even contradict each other!
Peter 1, traveling around Europe with the Grand Embassy, ​​was very keenly interested in local European developments, “cut a window to Europe,” so to speak, including the sphere of monetary circulation. Having seen enough of the European monetary system based on gold and silver, Peter 1 decided to adapt it to Russian conditions. Copper coins of small denominations were introduced in 1700 to eliminate problems with the exchange of silver wire kopecks (weight 0.3 grams), which is why they had three fractional denominations less than a penny - ½, ¼ and 1/8. In the new monetary system there was no place for copper coins with a denomination higher than money. Otherwise, situations of duplication of denominations would have arisen, which no one needed, and the memory of the Copper Riot of 1662 and its causes was still fresh.
And suddenly, just 4 years later, in 1704, a round copper penny appears in the sphere of circulation, which duplicates the silver one for almost another fifteen years!
The first coin currently to appear at auction is the “Big Kopek” (letter “BK”) coin from 1704, and it has significant deviations from the norm from similar kopecks this year:
1. The coin blank of an ordinary penny from 1704 has a diameter of 25 mm, and a large one - 30 mm (the diameter is the same as that of a half-fifty coin);
2. The coin blank of an ordinary penny has a thickness of 2 mm, while the “big penny” is cut from a thin (half-penny) strip with a thickness of only 1.3 mm.
Such deviations from technological norms and standards, combined in one coin, cannot be random. They indicate the minting of a given coin before the production of the necessary technical equipment and coin strips of the appropriate thickness.
One of the main technical characteristics of a coin blank is its diameter, which is similar to the diameter of the hole in the tool for cutting coin blanks. The presence at the mint of a tool for cutting a certain diameter, of course, affects the availability of a large number of simultaneously cut coins of a similar diameter.
Before 1707, there are no known coins issued by the Embankment Mint on such large blanks. At least, I don’t know anything about this. By such a sign as a large circle, we can say that the copper penny of 1704 was minted at another mint, which at that time already had an appropriate cutting machine and minted half-fifty coins.
From this point of view, it can be assumed that the most suitable mint for minting the “Big Kopek” is the Kadashevsky Mint, which minted both silver and copper in 1704. However, according to all the sources found, pennies with the letters “BK” and “MD” were not minted on it until 1713. It is clear that the entire approved stamp tool, except for cutting, was transferred to the Embankment Mint for subsequent replication. It is interesting that during the reign of Peter Alekseevich, it was the Kadashevsky Mint that, from 1701, was engaged in trial small-circulation minting of various new coins.
Only the absence of any intelligible documents does not allow us to assert that the unique “Big Kopeks” of 1704 “BK” and “MD” are test prints of an approved sample minted at the Kadashevsky Mint.
Since, today, there are much more copies minted on a large mug with the letter “BK”, their price is not very high, but a copy of a copper penny of 1704, minted on a large mug, with the letter “MD”, on Today, only one is known, and, accordingly, its price is 5 million rubles.
The price of 1 kopeck from 1704 with the letter “BK” is approximately $25,000 (775,000 rubles)

During the reign of Nicholas II, copper coins formed the basis of the country's monetary relations, and they were used for most small settlement transactions. They were issued annually in multi-million circulations until 1917 in such denominations as 5 kopecks, 3 kopecks, 2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck, according to the model established since the mid-19th century. Due to their frequent occurrence, they are not of particular interest to many collectors, although there are real rarities here too. These include 5 kopecks and 3 kopecks in 1917, as well as 1/2 kopeck and 1/4 kopeck in 1894.

Copper coins in the everyday life of Russians at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries

Copper coins were small change and formed the basis of monetary relations among the common people living on the territory of the vast Russian Empire.

Under Nicholas II, coins of 5 kopecks, 3 and 2 kopecks, 1 kopeck, as well as 1/2 and 1/4 kopecks were minted from copper per foot of 50 rubles per pood (16 kg) - according to the type of denominations that developed back in the 1860s years.

In addition to the St. Petersburg Mint, in 1896-1898, copper fines (with the exception of 5 kopecks) were produced by order of the government by the Birmingham Mint (Great Britain), and in 1899-1901 - by the private “Rosenkrantz factory” in St. Petersburg. Mint mark - “S.P.B.” - was placed on all coins, regardless of the actual place of minting, until 1914, after which the mark was abolished, and samples of coins were already issued without its designation.

Rosencrantz Factory 1910s

What could any owner of such copper coins do during the reign of Nicholas II? According to statistics from the last years of his reign (data taken from the Statistical Yearbook of Moscow. Issue 4. 1911-1913. - M., 1916.), prices in Moscow then correlated as follows:

• 1 kg of premium cereal cost approximately 17 kopecks, a measure of potatoes - 45 kopecks (1 measure is approximately equal to 1 pood), a pound (16 kg) of rye bread - 1 ruble 25 kopecks (1 loaf cost 3-5 kopecks);
• pound (about 400 g) of first grade beef - 24 kopecks; pound of veal - 37 kopecks; one chicken - 93 kopecks;
• a pound of butter - 50 kopecks, a bottle of milk - 8 kopecks;
• 1 glass of beer - 5 kopecks, 1 bottle of vodka (0.75 liters), "monopoly" - 35 kopecks, 1 glass ("bastard", approximately 60 milligrams) - 6 kopecks.

At the same time, any artisan, mason, carpenter or joiner earned a little less than 2 rubles a day; day laborer (depending on the work performed) - from 40 kopecks to 1 ruble. Women were paid less.

Design of copper coins of Nicholas II

During the time of Nicholas II, the design of the coins remained virtually unchanged compared to issues of previous years. Only on the smallest copper coins - “denge” and “polushka” (1/2 and 1/4 kopecks) the imperial monogram is changed and the monogram “H II” is used, with a royal crown in ribbons and a wreath at the bottom. The reverse of these coins is characterized by maximum simplicity - the denomination number, two five-pointed decorative stars, the year of issue (before 1915 and the inscription S.P.B.), and decorative curls in the middle.

The design of the range of denominations from 5 to 1 kopeck will differ from the appearance of smaller coins, although it is typical. On the obverse there is a double-headed eagle, around it there is an ornamental edging in the Old Russian style with the inscriptions “COPPER RUSSIAN COIN” (above) and the letters denomination number and the word “KOPEEK” (below, for example “TWO KOPEYKS”).

On the reverse, the denomination is already indicated by a number (for example, “3 KOPEEK”) with two five-pointed decorative stars, under the vignette is the mint mark. The composition is framed by laurel and oak branches tied in a bow; the year of minting is indicated at the top. All copper coins have a ribbed edge, although variants with a smooth edge are also known.

Description of denominations and current prices

5 kopecks. For the vast majority of the reign of the last Emperor of Russia, this denomination was printed in silver. However, since 1911, due to another reform (and most likely, the government’s desire to save on precious metals), 5 kopecks began to be printed from copper. Such five-kopeck coins are interesting due to the fact that they were produced in only three years - in 1911, 1912 and 1916.

5 kopecks of 1911 were minted in a circulation of 4 million. pieces, and today, in VF condition, they are valued in the range of 5-10 dollars. 5 kopecks of 1912 are much less common, because The circulation that year was about 3 million coins. They are also more expensive. This example in VF condition is offered for 15-30 US dollars. 5 kopecks from 1916 are the most expensive, although their circulation that year was 8 million. In VF condition, one copy is estimated at 50-80 US dollars. These coins were also issued in 1917, but were not put into circulation. Information about the circulation is also unknown, and such a copy is considered a real rarity.

3 kopecks. From 1895 to 1916, a three-kopeck coin, convenient for monetary transactions, was minted annually in multi-million circulations. How many copies were produced in 1917 is also unknown; in catalogs they are listed as extremely rare (index R4 according to Bitkin). The largest quantity was produced in 1916 - 25.6 million pieces.

The average cost of such a coin is more difficult to determine, because The price range here is very wide. In VF condition, 3 kopecks cost 3-10 dollars, in XF condition – from 5 to 30 US dollars.

2 kopecks. The “kopeck piece” was minted under Nicholas II in the 19th century, minted only in 1895, and then every year from 1902 to 1917 inclusive (and here the situation according to circulation data is similar).

In terms of value, this coin is also, in general, not particularly different. The coins are ordinary; finding them in good condition at a low price will not be difficult for any novice collector. Approximate prices: F - $1-2; VF - $3-10; XF- $10-20.

1 kopeck. It was minted only in 1894-1895, then from 1902 until 1916. The circulation each year numbers millions of copies, so prices do not vary much. Similar with prices for 2 kopecks. Only specimens from 1902 are valued more expensively; for the preservation of VF you can get from 12 to 25 US dollars.

1/2 kopeck And 1/4 kopeck. The rarest half- and quarter-kopeck coins date back to 1894, when Nicholas II had not yet been crowned. Apparently, very few of them were minted, the occurrence index according to Bitkin is R2, and the cost of such a coin reaches 1000 US dollars or even more.

Half-kopeks were printed from 1894-95, and then annually from 1908-1916. inclusive. “Quarters” were minted for only 6 years - in 1894, 1895, 1909, 1910, 1915 and 1916. The main part of such coins does not have a high value: F - $ 1-3 VF - $ 3-5. Samples from 1900 and 1908 are priced a little more expensive. - in VF condition - $5-15. Well, of course, the most expensive are two years - the first and last, 1895 (VF) - $15-25 and 1916 (VF) - more than 100 US dollars.

In most of my articles about Russian coins, I talk only about rubles, forgetting about another main coin - the penny. But there are so many interesting things that can be said about her. With this article I want to fill this gap, tell the story of the origin of the penny, interesting facts and details.

I think everyone knows that a kopeck is a Russian coin equal to a hundredth of a ruble. The name comes from the image on the reverse of the coin of a horseman with a spear. But there is an opinion that this word comes from the Tatar expression “dinar kopeki” (kopek coin). In truth, I did not go into details and therefore am of the opinion that the kopek came from the word “spear” and St. George the Victorious depicted on it.

History of the origin of the penny

The penny first appeared in 1534 during the monetary reform of Ivan the Terrible’s mother, Elena Glinskaya. The main reason for the introduction of the new coin was the spread of clipping of silver coins, as a result of which silver coins lost weight, thereby causing mistrust among people. As a result, all old coins, regardless of their integrity, were banned and replaced with new ones.

From 1696 to 1717, the weight of a penny dropped to 0.28 g. To pay large sums, it was necessary to spend several days just counting. Then Peter decided to carry out a monetary reform, which turned out to be a response to increasing trade. The Emperor visited abroad many times, where he became acquainted with the work of mints and condemned the method of making kopecks in Russia.

The first step in the reform was the issuance of small copper coins, which were in denominations below the penny: denga - 1/2 kopeck, half - 1/4 kopeck and half-polushka - 1/8 kopeck. In 1704, a copper kopeck appeared in circulation, which existed on a par with the silver ruble and was equal to 1/100 of it. For the first time, the penny received the familiar round shape and the date stamped on it. But the production of old silver wire coins did not stop and continued for another 14 years. Copper coinage satisfied the urgent need for small change coins and released some of the silver from circulation for the minting of larger coins.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the tsarist government of Nicholas II increased the issue of paper money (in connection with war expenses), as a result of which the paper penny appeared. On tickets in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks it was written: “It circulates on a par with a copper coin.” Also, postage stamps from a series dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov were put into circulation, with a similar overprint on the reverse side.

The first Soviet kopeck came into circulation in 1924. It was minted according to the same patterns from the Tsarist period of 1868-1917. Also this year, copper coins in denominations of 2, 3 and 5 kopecks were issued, and in 1925 the production of coins in denominations of half a kopeck began. The issue of these coins cost the state a large sum and consumed a lot of copper. As a result, the production of copper coins was discontinued, and from 1926 the country switched to minting coins from a golden bronze alloy (a copper-zinc alloy with the addition of aluminum to the alloy to improve the malleability of the material).

What could you buy for one kopeck in Soviet times? A piece of bread, a glass of soda without syrup, a simple pencil, two simple envelopes, two guitar picks or a box of matches.

Kopek of modern Russia

Probably everyone knows that the penny of modern Russia depicts St. George the Victorious. It is made of an alloy of steel and cupronickel, has a diameter of 15.50 mm, a thickness of 1.25 mm and a weight of 1.5 g. The characteristics of other penny coins are given below:

Coins in denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks have already undergone some minor changes, which I talked about in one of my notes. Currently, the issue of a penny coin costs 47 kopecks, and a five-kopeck coin costs 69 kopecks. Because of this, there are disputes about whether to continue or stop issuing coins of this denomination.

This is the story of the penny. It doesn’t end there; in the following posts I will tell you some more interesting facts and features.