Russia 1869-EM 1/4 kopek

Sincona sale 12, lot 839

This specimen was lot 839 in Sincona sale 12 (Zurich, October 2013), where it sold for 400 CHF (about US$517 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted, "Alexander II, 1818-1881, ¼ Kopeck 1869, Ekaterinburg Mint. Brilliant uncirculated." This type was struck at Ekaterinburg and St. Petersburg 1867-81. It is the smallest denomination struck by the tsarist regime and was commonly called a polushka. The SCWC reports that the weight was reduced from 3 g to 0.80 g in 1894 but the weight of this specimen suggests that the reduction occurred quite a bit earlier, perhaps in 1850.

Recorded mintage: 615,000.

Specification: 3 g, copper, this specimen 0.79 g.

Catalog reference: Bitkin 444. Brekke 21, KM-Y7.1.

Source:

• 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.
• 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]Auktion 12: the SINCONA Collection, part 2, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2013.

Link to:

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