Russia 1884-SP 1/4 kopek
This specimen was lot 469 in Sincona sale 84 (Zürich, October 2023), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"RUSSIA Russian Empire and Federation, 1/4 Kopeck 1884, St. Petersburg Mint, SPB. Rare. 3 roubles according to Petrov. 2 roubles according to Ilyin. Extremely fine."
This type was struck 1881-93. It is identical to the polushkas issued for Alexander II except for the ordinal of the tsar's monogram. The production of the copper coinage was farmed out to branch mints in the early and mid nineteenth century but after 1876, St. Petersburg was the sole producer of this denomination, also known as a polushka.
Recorded mintage: 140,000, the key date.
Specification: 0.80 g, copper, this specimen 0.82 g.
Catalog reference: KM Y29, Bitkin 207 (R1).
- Bitkin, Vladimir, Composite Catalogue of Russian Coins, Part II (1740-1917), Kiev: Moneta, 2003.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 84, Russian Coins and Medals, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2023.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Link to: