Russia 1547 kopek
This specimen was lot 1574 in Jean Elsen sale 124 (Brussels, March 2015), where it sold for €25 (about US$31 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"RUSSIE, Ivan IV Vassilijevitch, tsar (1547-1584), AR kopeck, 1547, Pskov. Droit: Le Tsar chevauchant à droite, pointant la lance vers le bas. Sous le cheval, ΓP. Revers: Légende en cinq lignes. Beau à Très Beau. (Russia, Ivan IV (1547-84), silver kopek of 1547, Pskov mint. Obverse: the tsar charges to right, pointing a lance downwards; below the horse, "ΓP." Reverse: five line inscription. Fine to very fine.)
Les lettres ΓP, sous le cheval, figurant sur la seconde série de kopecks émis en 1547, signifient gospodar tandis que celles sur les kopecks de la première série de cette année, IBA, sont les trois premières lettres d'Ivan. (The letters "ΓP," below the horse, appearing on the second series of kopeks emitted in 1547, signified the gospodar who issued them. The letters on the first series, IBA, are the first three letters of Ivan.)"
These kopeks were struck from pieces of wire rather than from punched blanks as in western Europe. This was a century and a half before Peter the Great's reform which set 100 kopeks = one ruble.
Reported Mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 0,66 g.
Catalog reference: Melnikova, 21-25; Spassky, pl. 80, 3.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 124, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2015.
Link to:
- Kiev (1362-94) denga, Vladimir Olgerdovich
- Russia (1547-84) denga, Ivan the Terrible
- Russia (1561-84) kopek Pskov mint, Ivan the Terrible
- Coins and currency dated 1547
- return to coins of Russia