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400 YEARS OF RUSSIAN COINS AND CURRENCY

Click Here CLICK HERE FOR COINS OF THE FORMER REPUBLICS OF THE U.S.S.R.

For hundreds of years much of Russian commerce was based on these tiny silver coins called wire money.  The coins were struck by taking a piece of silver wire, cutting it to the proper weight, then smashing it between a pair of dies by a strong-armed Russian.  As might be expected, the coins are quite crude and are usually struck partly off-center.  The coin shows a horseman,  on one side and legends on the other.  We are pleased to offer you this selection of Russian Wire Money which covers a vast sweep of Russian History.
 

SILVER WIRE MONEY OF IVAN THE TERRIBLE

Ivan the Terrible silver wire DengaRussian silver wire Kopeck of Ivan IVIvan IV, generally known as Ivan the Terrible, was crowned Grand Prince of Moscow in 1533 at age three.  In 1547 he declared himself Czar of all Russia, and set about centralizing the Russian government and consolidating his power. The title Czar is based on the ancient Roman title of Caesar, as he saw Russia as a continuation of the ancient Roman Empire.   He engaged in a reign of terror against anyone he thought might oppose him, torturing and executing many thousands of his subjects, including his own son. Entire cities were and regions were left depopulated.  Thus he earned his title "The Terrible".  Though he expanded the Russian Empire eastward into Siberia, his attempts to expand into the Baltic met with disastrous defeats.  The military, weakened by Ivan's purges, was defeated by Sweden and Poland.  He apparently had quite an appetite for women, having gone through seven wives and keeping some 50 concubines.  Having destroyed the economy of the country and having killed his most promising heir, Russia fell into "The Time of Troubles" after his death in 1584.  We have offer two silver wire coins of Ivan.  Silver wire coins  was made by a strong armed-Russian smashing a piece of cut silver wire between a set of dies.  As might be expected the coins tend to be a bit crude and irregular.  The silver wire Denga (1/2 Kopeck) shows Ivan with an upraised sword.  The reverse features  his name and title.  The silver wire Kopeck was struck in Novgorod betwwen 1535 and 1538, before he declared himself Czar.  The coin features Ivan on horseback carrying a lance on one side and legends on the other. 
Item L-RU-IVANDNIVAN THE TERRIBLE SILVER DENGA,  VG-F-crude out
Item L-RU-IVANKPIVAN THE TERRIBLE SILVER KOPECK, NOVGOROD (1535-38) VG-F-crude$8.00

MICHAEL ESTABLISHES THE ROMANOV DYNASTY

Silver kopeck coin of Michael Romanov Following the death of Ivan the Terrible, Russia fell into a period of almost 20 years chaos and civil war. In an effort to bring an end to the fighting, in 1613 The Council of All Russia elected the 16 year old Michael Fydorovich Romanov as Czar.  Though many expected him to fail, the young Michael slowly established his control over Russia and wisely avoided involvement in the wars of Europe.  By the time of his death in 1645 he had established the powerful Romanov dynasty, which was to last over 300 years, until the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Item L-RU-ROMN MICHAEL ROMANOV SILVER KOPECK 1613-1645 VG-crude$8.00


ALEXIS FACES REBELLIONS

Russian silver kopeck coin of Alexis Like his father Michael, Alexis became Czar when he was only 16 years old. Though he was later considered to be a benevolent and gentle Czar, his reign included a seemingly endless series of revolts and crises, To cover the increasing government debts a high tax was placed on salt and a government monopoly on tobacco was implemented.  This caused widespread riots so the salt tax was soon repealed.  Next the government tried to debase the coinage.  This caused another rebellion. Attempts at ceremonial reforms in the Russian Church caused further rebellions.   The issues in dispute included how many fingers should be used when making the sign of the cross, how to spell the name of Jesus, and the proper direction for religious processions.  Thousands of Old Believers,  burned themselves to death in their churches rather than accept the reforms.
Item L-RU-ALEXIS ALEXIS SILVER KOPECK 1645-1676 VG-crude$8.00

SILVER WIRE KOPECK OF PETER THE GREAT

Russia silver kopecks of Peter the Great Peter the Great, the younger son of Alexis ruled Russia from 1689 to 1725. He was a great reformer, modernizing Russia and expanding its Navy, frontiers and prestige.  One of his reforms was to abolish the wire coinage in favor of machine struck coins that were used in much of Europe.  Thus he brought an end to this long series of crude silver coins.
Item L-RU-PETER PETER THE GREAT SILVER KOPECK 1689-1725  VG-crude$5.00

OLD RUSSIAN COPPER DENGA

Russia copper denga 1730-1754These copper Dengas, also known as half kopecks, were struck from 1730 to 1754, spanning the reigns of Anna, Ivan VI and Elizabeth.  One side bears the Russian double headed eagle. The other side shows the denomination and date.  There is no indication of the issuing monarch. It is an interesting and historic old Russian coin at a moderate price.
Item RU-2 RUSSIA DENGA 1730-1754 VG-F-Crude $10.00



HUGE COPPER COIN OF CATHERINE THE GREAT Back in stock

Russia 5 Kopecks of Catherine the GreatCatherine, who ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796, was noted for her great expansion of Russian territory, the great modernization of Russian society and her great exploits with men.  She should also be noted for her great big coins. She believed that coins should contain their intrinsic value in metal. 5 Kopecks was a sizable sum in those days, hence a sizable coin.  These big, thick copper 5 Kopeck coins are almost 1 3/4 inches (42mm) in diameter.  A pocket full of these would really weigh you down! The obverse shows the two headed Russian Eagle.  The reverse has Catherine's monogram and the date. .
Item L-RU-5K  RUSSIA 5 KOPECKS 1763-1796 (C59) Fine $19.95
Item L-RU-5Kx3   3 DIFFERENT DATES OF RUSSIAN 5 KOPECKS 1763-1796  Fine $55.00



NewSILVER COINS OF THE RUSSIAN SOVIET FEDERATED SOCIALISTS REPUBLIC

Russia (R.F.S.F.R.) 10, 15 & 20 Kopecks 1921-23 The Russian Federated Socialists Republic (R.S.F.S.R.) was the largest Republic within the U.S.S.R.  It briefly issued its own coinage from 1921 to 1923, until a common coinage for the entire U.S.S.R. was issued.  This three coin set includes the silver 10, 25 and 20 Kopecks of the R.S.F.S.R. in Very Fine condition.   One side of the coins shows the hammer and sickle in front of the rising sun, within a wreath.  The other side has the denomination and a star.
Item RU-RSFSR RUSSIA SILVER 10, 15 & 20 Kopecks, 1921-23 (KM80-83) VF $18.00


U.S.S.R. COIN SET  Price Cut!

SOVIET UNION 7 COIN SET: 1 - 20 KOPECKS
The seven coins in this set were issued shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.  The set includes the 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Kopecks dating between 1989 and 1991 in Uncirculated condition.  One side of the coin features a hammer and sickle enveloping the earth.  The other side has the date and denomination.  It is an interesting and inexpensive reminder of the "evil empire".
Item RU-USSR7SOVIET UNION 7 COIN SET 1 - 20 KOPECKS, KM126a-132 UNC.$5.50


BI-METALLIC RUSSIAN COINS HONOR HISTORICAL TOWNS

Russia bi-metallic 10 Rubles 2002 Hisotric towns.Russia set of 4 bi-metallic 10 Rubles 2003 TownsRUSSIA 2004 Historic Cities bi-metal 10 Ruble coinsRussia 2005 set of 4 Historic towns bimetallic 10 RublesRUSSIA 2006 Historic towns bi-metal 10 Ruble coinsRussia 10 Rubles, 2008 set of 3 historic townsRussia 2008 Historic Cities coin set

In 2002 Russia began an annual program that each year commemorates some of their historical towns on bi-metallic 10 Ruble coins.  The coins picture the city and its arms on one side and has the standard Russian 10 Ruble obverse on the other.  The 2002 series was the first in the series.  It honored the towns Kostroma, Starya Russa and Derbent.  The 2003 series consists of 4 coins, commemorating  the historic cities of Kasimov, Dorogobuzh, Murmom and Pskov. The 2004 series consists of 3 coins and honored the towns of Dmitgrov, Kemy and Riyazhsk.  The 2005 series honors the towns of Mcensk, Kazan, Borovsk and Kaliningrad.   The 2006 Series honored the towns of Torzhok, Kargopol and Belograd. The 2007 series pictured the towns of Gdov, Veliky Ustyug and Vologada.   The 2008 Historic towns are Azov, Prioziorsk, Smolensk and Vladimir.
Item RU-TOWN02 2002 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC.out
Item RU-TOWN03 2003 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $12.00
Item RU-TOWN04 2004 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $9.00
Item RU-TOWN05 2005 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $12.00
Item RU-TOWN06 2006 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $9.00
Item RU-TOWN07 2007 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $9.00
New Item RU-TOWN08 2008 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10 RUBLES, UNC. $12.00


BI-METALLIC RUSSIAN COINS CELEBRATE REGIONS

Russia 10 Ruble Regions coins - 2005
Russia 10 Rubles Regions coins - 2006
Russia 2008 set of 4 Regional 10 Rubles
In 2005 Russia recently started a new series of bi-metallic 10 Ruble coins honoring the regions of Russia.  In many ways it is similar to the very successful State Quarters program of the United States. Each year various  regions will be honored.  The coins feature the regions arms on one side and the denomination on the other.  The first six coins, dated 2005, include Leningrad, Tver, Oryol, Krasnodar, Republic of Tartarstan and Moscow.   In 2006 coins were issued for the  Regions of Chita, Sakhalin, REpublic of Sakha (Yakutia),  Republic of Altari and the Maritime Region.   The 2008 regions coins honors Astrakhan Region, Kabaradan-Balkar Republic, Svedolovsk Region and Udmurt Region.  
Item RU-REG05 RUSSIA, 2005 SET OF 6 REGIONAL 10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item RU-REG06 RUSSIA, 2006 SET OF 5 REGIONAL 10 RUBLES, UNC.$18.00
New Item RU-REG08 RUSSIA, 2008 SET OF 4 REGIONAL 10 RUBLES, UNC. $12.00

ALSO SEE:

Click HereCOINS OF THE FORMER REPUBLICS OF THE U.S.S.R.
Click HereSILVER COINS FROM THE GRAND DUCHY OF FINLAND
Click HereSILVER COINS FROM FINLAND’S CIVIL WAR


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Joel Anderson
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