Russia 1873-SP HI 5 kopeks
This specimen was lot 72739 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2019), where it sold for $168. The catalog description[1] noted, "RUSSIA. 5 Kopeks, 1873-CNB HI. St. Petersburg Mint. Alexander II. NGC MS-64. A delightful Near Gem, this lustrous example offers a deep cabinet nature and an exquisite peripheral tone. Highly captivating and majestic." The Russian government does not seem to have been able to make up its mind whether the five kopeks denomination should be a small silver coin, as here, or a large copper coin. Today, the silver piece is readily available (probably due to hoarding) but the copper type (KM Y12.2) is hard to find in nice condition. The last copper 5 kopeks was struck in 1881. This date is not rare but not as common as the issues of 1883 and later.
Recorded mintage: 160,000.
Specification: 0.899 g, 0.500 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-Y19a.1; Bit-274.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- Harris, Robert P., Guidebook of Russian Coins, 1725 to 1970, Santa Cruz, CA: Bonanza Press, 1971.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The October 2019 Collector's Choice Sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
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