Russia 1790-KM 5 kopeks
This specimen was lot 33611 in Heritage sale 3073 (Chicago, April 2019), where it sold for $840. The catalog description[1] noted, "Catherine II 5 Kopecks 1790-КM MS65 Brown NGC, Suzun mint. Well struck with reddish-brown patina and fully lustrous surfaces." This type was struck 1763-96 in the Kolyvan mint for circulation in Russia during the reign of Catherine the Great. Hundreds of millions were issued between the Annensk, Moscow, Sestroretsk, Kolyvan (shown here), Ekaterinburg and St. Petersburg mints. Many survive today but few in choice condition. Russia has the distinction of being the first country to issue decimal currency, as 100 kopeks = one ruble.
Recorded mintage: 4,000,000, a slightly better date.
Specification: 51.2 g, copper, struck 1761-96.
Catalog reference: KM-C59.5, Bit-802.
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Brekke, B. F., The Copper Coinage of Imperial Russia, 1700-1917, New York, Galerie des Monnaies, 1977, with 1987 supplement.
- Harris, Robert P., Guidebook of Russian Coins, 1725 to 1970, Santa Cruz, CA: Bonanza Press, 1971.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3073, featuring the Lake County Collection of British coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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