NATIONS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION
A selection of coins from nations that emerged after the
collapse of the Soviet Union
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Here for RUSSIAN & SOVIET COINS AND
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COINS & CURRENCY OF FORMERLY COMMUNIST EASTERN EUROPE
FIRST
SILVER
TRAM OF MEDIEVAL ARMENIA

About
1198 Levon I (also called Leo II, Leon II and Levon the Magnificant)
was crowned as the first king of Cilcian Armenia. He had
ruled the
territory as Lord of Armenia since 1187, after his brother was captured
by
Bohemond III of Antioch
and retired to a monastery. As king he had the privilege of issuing the
first Armenian coins since ancient times. He established a
powerful
Christian kingdom and was a strong supporter of the Third Crusade. He
had numerous intrigues and conflicts with
Bohemond III of Antioch,
at one point taking him and his family prisoner after inviting them to
castle. He was later involved in the War of the Antiochene Succession
after Bohemond's death. He joined Richard the Lion Heart in
the
conquest of Cyprus and was actively involved in the numerous political
plots and intrigues of the Crusader kingdoms and neighboring
kingdoms.
These crude silver Trams are approximately 22mm in diameter.
One side
pictures picture King Levon seated upon his throne. The
reverse shows
a lion and leopard with a cross. It is an historic Armenian
coin with
a close connection to the Crusades.
Item
AM-LEVON
ARMENIA SILVER TRAM OF LEVON I
1198-1219 F-VF-crude
$65.00
ARMENIA'S
FIRST
MODERN COINS

With
the collapse of the
Soviet
Union in 1991
Armenia again emerged as an independent nation after centuries of
foreign domination. In 1994 it
issued its first coins as an independent nation in over 500
years!
We are pleased to offer the full set of seven set coins. Included are
the 10, 20, 50 Luma, 1, 3, 5, and 10 Dram. The coins are struck in
aluminum and
are Uncirculated.
Item
AM-SET94 ARMENIA
1994 7 COIN SET 10 LUMA - 10 DRAM (KM51-58) UNC. $4.50
BEAUTIFUL BIRDS FROM
BELARUS
Belarus has issued some distinctive and beautiful coins featuring
native birds. All the coins are 32mm, copper-nickel 1 Rubles with a
mintage of only 5000 pieces each. The 2004 issue features two
Common Cranes and commemorates the Prypiatsky National Park. The
national arms in on the obverse. A swimming Graylag Goose is
commemorated as the "Bird of the Year" on a 2009 Ruble. The
obverse has an emblem featuring a small bird held in a pair of hands.
Another 2009 Ruble depicts a White Stork and two storks in a
nest. The obverse features the footprint of a stork on grass
grass and the EurAsEC emblem. The coin commemorates
the wildlife of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).
EurAsEc included Russia and some countries from the former Soviet
Union. It existed from 2000 until 2014.
Item
BY-CRANE04 BELARUS 1 RUBLE 2004 COMMON
CRANES KM60 PROOF $15.00
Item
BY-GOOSE09 BELARUS 1 RUBLE 2009 GRAYLAG
GOOSE KM219 PROOFLIKE
$15.00
Item
BY-STORK09 BELARUS 1 RUBLE 2009 WHITE STORK
KM327 PROOFLIKE $15.00
2014
CRIMEA COIN SET

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia over control of Crimea
goes back many years. In 1783 Catherine the Great made Crimea
part of the Russian Empire. During the Russian civil war the
region declared independence and passed between Bolshevik and White
Government forces several times, accompanied by a massive slaughter of
civilians. In 1921 it was made an autonomous republic within
Russia. Greeks, Armenians and Bulgarians living in Crimea
were forced to leave. During World War II the area
came under German control and the sizeable Jewish population was
annihilated. After the Soviets regained control the entire
population of Crimean Tatars, who had at one time made up a majority of
the region, were forcibly deported. Russian families were
settled in Crimea to replace them. In 1954 Crimea was
transferred from Russia to Ukraine. At the time it made
little difference, since both were part of the Soviet
Union. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in
1991 Crimea became part of Ukraine. Russia found its Black
Sea fleet and other military installations now located in independent
Ukraine rather on its own soil. A majority of the population
of Crimea is Russian, as most other ethnic groups had been “cleansed”
from the area. In February 2014 pro-Russian forces,
supported by Moscow, took control over Crimea. A quickly called
referendum was held on March 16, with a vast majority voting to join
Russia. On March 17 the newly created Crimean parliament
declared independence from Ukraine, and on the following day, Crimea
officially became part of Russia. The transfer has not been
widely recognized. This unofficial four coin set of
Crimea includes the 5, 10, 25 and 100 Rubles. The 25 and 100
Rubles are bi-metallic. The designs of the 5 and 25 Rubles
feature voting, while the 10 and 100 Rubles depict a fist.
The reverse of the all the coins feature the Arms of Crimea.
CRIMEA
CRIMEA 2014 5, 10, 25 & 100 RUBLES,
UNC. $39.75
BISHOPRIC
OF DORPAT

The
Bishopric of Dorpat (now
Tartu)
was a prince-bishopric that once
controlled much of what is now south-eastern
Estonia. It was an
important Hanseatic trade center. This small (about 12mm)
silver
1 Lubische (late called 1 Pfennig) was issued by the Bishops of Dorpat
between 1379 and 1441. During this period the Bishopric was
in conflict with the Knights of the Livonian Order who controlled
adjacent territories. Both sides of the coin depict the arms of the
Bishopric which consists of a crossed key and sword. The
Dorpat Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop, was once one of the largest
religious structures in Eastern Europe. It was heavily
damaged in the 1520's during the Protestant Reformation and was
abandoned after the last Bishop was deported to Russia in
1558. Ruins of the once grand cathedral are now part of the
grounds of the University of Tartu. The coin is a reminder of a once
powerful but now extinct Bishopric.
Item
DORPAT BISHOPRIC OF DORPAT SILVER LUBISCHE
1379-1441
VG-F-CRUDE $12.00
Item
DORPATx5 5 PIECES OF THE ABOVE BISHOPRIC OF
DORPAT SILVER LUBISCHE 1379-1441
VG-F-CRUDE $45.00
Item
DORPATx25 25 PIECES OF THE ABOVE BISHOPRIC OF
DORPAT SILVER LUBISCHE 1379-1441
VG-F-CRUDE $175.00
GEORGIA COIN SETS 
The
Republic of Georgia, a small nation, formerly part or the
U.S.S.R.,
is located on the Black Sea nestled between Russia and
Turkey. Georgia
is an ancient nation. It recently celebrated it's 3000th Anniversary!
Throughout
its history it has alternated between periods of independence and
dominance
by other nations, including the Romans,
Persians,
Turks, Mongols and
Russians. It regained
its independence following the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991. In 1993 Georgia issued its first modern coins.
The coins reflect the
nations ancient heritage. The brass 50 Thetri features a
mythological
bird taken from an 11th century cathedral. A deer is on the
20 Thetri.
A medieval icon of a priest riding a lion is on the 10
Thetri. A
gold lion statuette dating from the 2nd century BC is on the 5 Thetri.
An ancient stylized peacock, symbolizing immortality and
resurrection
is on the 2 Thetri. Grapes, taken from the facade of a medieval
cathedral
are on the 1 Thetri. The five lower denomination coins are
struck
in Stainless Steel. The reverse of all six coins features an ancient
sun
symbol. In 2006 three new higher denomination coins were
released: a new, larger 50 Thetri, 1 Lari and a
bimetallic 2 Lari. The coins all feature the denomination on
one
side and the Georgia arms and the date on the other.
Item
S-GE-SET6
GEORGIA 6 COIN SET 1 - 50 THETRI 1993
KM76-81 UNC. $9.00
Item
GE-SET3
GEORGIA 3 COIN SET 50 THETRI - 2
LARI, KM89,90 & 94 UNC.
$6.00
CRITTERS FROM
KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan issued an attractive series of coins featuring endangered
native wildlife. The 31mm copper-nickel coins are denominated
50 Tenge. Each year a different critter was featured on the reverse of
the coin. The 2007 to 2009 issues have the Kazakstan national emblem on
the obverse. The later issues feature the critter in its
natural habitat on the obverse. The coins have a mintage of only 50,000
each. The 2007 issue featured a Crested
Spoonbill. A Tien Shan Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos Isabellinus)
is on the 2008 coin. . The 2010
issue depicted a Dalmatian Pelican on both sides of the coin.
Item
KZ-BEAR08
KAZAKHSTAN 50 TENGE 2008 BEAR KM86 BU
$10.00
Item
KZ-PELIC10 KAZAKHSTAN 50 TENGE 2010 PEICAN
KM239 BU
$7.00
PRE-EURO
LATVIA COIN SET

This
eight coin set includes the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Santimu and
1
Lats bi-metallic 2 Lati dating from 1999 to 2013. All coins
are
Uncirculated and feature the Latvian arms on the obverse. The
2
Lati depicts a cow. A Salmon is on the 1 Lats.
Three grain
sprigs are on the 50 Santimu. The other denominations feature
the
denomination on the reverse. On January 1, 2014 Latvia
switched
to the Euro and the coins were quickly withdrawn from circulation.
Item
S-LV-SET8 LATVIA 8 COIN SET 1 SANTIMS - 2
LATI, 1999-2013 UNC. $19.50
LATVIA EURO COIN
SET

On
January 1, 2014 Latvia became the 18th Euro member to issue coins.
The 8 coin set dated 2014 includes the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50
Euro cent and the bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro
coins. The obverse designs were all based on previous Latvia
coins. The bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euros featured Milda, the
Latvian maiden who appeared on the silver
5 Lati issued from 1929 to
1932. She became a symbol of Latvian independence during the Soviet
occupation of Latvia. The edge of the 2 Euro has the
inscription "
DIEVS
SVĒTĪ LATVIJU" (God bless Latvia), which
appeared on the edge of the silver
5 Lati. The brass 10, 20
and 50 Eurocent feature the Greater Latvian coat-of-arms, which
was used on the silver 1 and 2 Lati issued in the 1920's as well as the
1 and 2 Lati coins issued from 1991 to 2013. The
copper-plated steel 1, 2 and 5 Eurocents depict the Lesser Latvian
coat-of-arms which was used on the minor coins of Latvia after it
gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The
reverses all utilize the standard Euro designs featuring maps of
Europe.
Item
LV-EUSET LATVIA 8 COIN EURO SET, 2014
KM150-157 UNC. $13.00
EARLY DATED
SILVER COIN OF
POLAND-LITHUANIA

Until
the 1600's most nations did not put dates on coins. These silver
1/2 Grossus (Groschen) coins of Sigismund II Augustus from the 1500's
are some of the earliest affordable coins bearing an AD date.
Sigismund was both the King of Poland and Grand Duke of
Lithuania. In 1569 he formally united the two countries with
the Treaty of Lublin to form the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. His coins reflect this dual
nationality. One side features his titles as Grand Duke of
Lithuania, and Vytas, the White Knight, which is the national symbol of
Lithuania. Below Vytas is the date. The other side
features the Polish Eagle and his titles as King of Poland.
The 19mm silver coins date from 1547 to 1572. In 1572
Sigsmund died childless, despite having three wives (two of which were
first cousins) and carrying on affairs with "two of the most beautiful
of his countrywomen". He was the last of the powerful
Jagiellonian dynasty controlled much of central Europe for almost 200
years.
Item
PL-LT POLAND-LITHUANIA 1/2 GROSSUS, SIGISMUND
II AUGUSTUS 1547-1572 F-VF $29.75
Item
PL-LTx5 5 DIFFERENT DATES OF
POLAND-LITHUANIA 1/2 GROSSUS 1547-1572 F-VF $129.75
LITHUANIAN
2012 BIMETALLICS HONOR RESORT TOWNS

In 2012 Lithuania released four circulating commemorative coins
honoring four of their resort towns: Birstonas, Druskininkai, Neringa
and Palanga. Each coin depicts the town’s arms on one side
and features Vytas, the white knight, who is Lithuania’s national
emblem. Birstonas is a town of about 3000 people that is
noted for its mineral water. Druskininkai is a spa town in the southern
part of the country. While Lithuania was part of the Soviet
Union it would attract some 400,000 visitors a year from the Soviet
Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union it has faced
difficult economic times due to the lack of Soviet tourists.
Neringa is a municipality on the Baltic Sea separated from the rest of
Lithuania by the Curonian Lagoon. It is accessible from
Lithuania only by ferry. Though it has a population of less
than 3000, it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every
summer. Palanga is a popular seaside resort town on
the Baltic Sea with a population of about
18,000. Lithuania hoped the coins will
boost tourism in the towns by spreading knowledge of the resorts around
the world. I must admit, until now, I did not know of any
resorts in Lithuania. The bi-metallic coins are
25mm in diameter and have a mintage of 100,000 each.
Item
LT-SET12 LITHUANIA SET OF 4 RESORT TOWN 2
LITAI COINS,
2012 KM183.1-KM186.1 UNC.
$9.75
LITHUANIA'S
PRE-EURO COINS
The Litas was introduced in 1991, after Lithuania gained independence
from the
Soviet Union.
This 9 coin set includes the bi-metallic 5 and 2 Litas, the
copper-nickel 1 Litas, the nickel-bras 50, 20 and 10 Centu and the
aluminum 1, 2 and 5 Centai were issued only a single year: 1991. All
nine coins feature Vytas, the white knight, on the obverse and the
denomination on the reverse. Vytas has been the Lithuanian
state emblem since the 14th century. The coins were withdrawn
from circulation after Lithuania switched to the
Euro on January 1, 2015.
Item
S-LT-SET9 LITHUANIA 9 COIN SET 1 CENTAS - 5
LITAI, 1991-2012 BU $15.00
LITHUANIAN EURO
COIN SET

Lithuania
officially converts to the Euro as their currency on January 1, 2015.
Their 8 coin set includes the 1, 2, 5,
10, 20, 50
Euro cent and the bi-metallic 1 and 2 Euro
coins. All eight coins feature Vytis, the white knight, which
is the national symbol of Lithuania and has appeared on the coins of
Lithuania for hundreds of years.
Item
LT-EUSET LITHUANIA 8 COIN EURO SET, 1
EUROCENT - 2 EURO, 2015
UNC. $12.00
LITHUANIA 2021
ZUVINTAS BIOSPHERE
RESERVE 2 EURO
The
Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve is a a UNESCO site that is the home of
thousands of species of birds, animals and plants. New species are
being discovered every year. It is centered around
Zuvintas Lake, a large, shallow lake that is only a small remnant of
the former post-glacial lake. The coin depicts a Bittern
trying to eat a Fire-bellied toad. A Water Reed Warbler
clings to a reed. In the distance a number of cranes are
flying with a mute swan.
Item
LT-2E21-ZUVINTAS LITHUANIA 2 EURO 2021
ZUVINTAS BIOSPHERE, UNC.
$6.00
LITHUANIA'S
HILL OF CROSSES ON 2020 2 EUROS

We
offered these a few months ago, and immediately sold out. The Hill of
Crosses carries great significance with Lithuanians as well as
Christians of all nationalities. Lithuania featured its Hill
of Crosses on its 2020 2 Euro coin. The first crosses were
believed to have been placed on the hill in 1831 after an uprising
against Russia. The site took on special significance during
the Soviet occupation of Lithuania from 1939 and 1991.
Praying and placing crosses on the hill became a way of demonstrating
peaceful resistance against the Soviets and to reaffirm Lithuanian
culture, heritage and religion. The Soviets worked hard to
remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times, but
even more crosses would appear after the old ones were
removed. Today there are well over 100,000 crosses,
crucifixes and statues on the hill. It has become both a
major pilgrimage site and a tourist site
Item
LT-2E20-CROSS LITHUANIA 2 EURO 2020 HILL OF
CROSSES UNC. $8.00
LITHUANIA HONORS SUVALKIJA REGION

Lithuania
continued their 2 Euro series honoring each of its five
ethnographic regions. The 2022 issue commemorates the
Suvalkija region, located in the south-western portion of the
country. It is smallest of the regions. The once
heavily forested region as largely deforested during the 16th and 17th
centuries due to the demand for wood and illegal tree-harvesting
incursions by Prussia, opening the region to
farming. Even today it is the least forested region
of Lithuania. The coin depicts the arms of Suvalkija which depicts a
bull, which were once found in abundance in the forests, before they
were cut down. The coin has the standard map of Europe
reverse.
Item
LT-2E22-SUV
LITHUANIA 2 EURO 2022 SUVALKIJA REGION, BU $6.00
MOLDOVA COIN SET

For
centuries Moldova was divided and controlled by the
Romanians,
Russians and
Turks. It
finally achieved full independence after the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991. This set of five Moldovan coins includes the
aluminum 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Bani and the aluminum-bronze 50 Bani
dating from 1993 to 2006 in Uncirculated condition.
The coins bear the Moldova arms on one side and the denomination on the
other.
Item
S-MD-SET6 MOLDOVA 6 COIN SET 1 - 50 BANI
1993-2006
UNC.
$4.50
BI-METALLIC MOLDOVA 10 LEI
COMMEMORATIVES

Moldova
started an annual series of circulating bi-metallic 10 Lei coins in
2018. The 2018 issue commemorates the 25th anniversary of the
national currency - the Leu, which translates as lion. The
coin features a lion, the Moldova national arms and the emblem of the
national bank. The 2019 issue commemorates the 30th
Anniversary of the adoption of the Latin alphabet (as opposed the
Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia) and the state language
laws. The obverse depicts the emblem of the national language
that features the mythological Charmed Bird. The reverse
includes the Latin alphabet in lower case letters. The 2020
issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the State
flag. The 2021 issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the
National Bank. The design includes the national arms, the national bank
emblem and the number '30'. The reverses of all the coins
bear the denomination. At the top is a latent image that
changes from R to M (for "Republica Moldova") as the coin is
shifted. "BNM", the initials of the national bank, is
micro-engraved on the surface of the "1".
Item
MD-10L18 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2018 25th
ANNIVERSARY OF CURRENCY, KM157 BU.
$4.00
Item
MD-10L19 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2019 30th
ANNIVERSARY OF ALPHABET & LANGUAGE LAWS, KM171 BU $4.00
Item
MD-10L20 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2020 30th
ANNIVERSARY
OF STATE FLAG, KM186 BU
$4.00
Item
MD-10L21 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2021 39th
ANNIVERSARY
OF NATIONAL BANK, KM196 BU
$4.00
Item
MD-SET10L ALL 4 OF THE ABOVE MOLDOVA 10 LEI
BU
$15.00
NAGARNO-KARABAKH
COIN SET
Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnically
Armenian
enclave of
Azerbaijan.
With the
support of the Armenian government it
declared itself independent from Azerbaijan in 1992. It is a de facto
independent state, with
all the usual functions of government, though its independence has not
been
widely recognized. This attractive seven coin set of
Nagarno-Karabakh is dated 2004 and
features native wildlife and cultural icons. The two aluminum
50
Luma coins feature a horse and
a leaping antelope. The three aluminum 1 Luma a wildcat, a
pheasant and St. Gregory the illuminator, the nations Patron Saint. He
converted Armenia to Christianity in 301AD, making it the first
Christian nation. The two aluminum-bronze 5 Dram coins
feature
the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the town of Shushi the Stone Head
Monument. The monument featuring the stone heads of an old
man
and a woman has become a symbol for the nation. The reverse
of
all seven coins features the nations arms.
Item S-NAG-SET
NAGARNO-KARABAKH 7 COIN SET, 2004,(KM6-12)
UNC.
$8.00
TRANSNISTRIA
ISSUES WORLD'S FIRST CIRCULATING PLASTIC COINS
In August 2014 Transnistria (Trans-dniester, Transdniestra,
etc.) released the first circulating plastic coins issued by
a national government. Each of the four composite plastic
coins is a different color and a different
shape. The coins issued are the round
yellow-brown 1 Ruble depicting General Alexander Suvorov. The
square green 3 Rubles portrays F. P. De Volan. The blue 5
Rubles is five-sided and depicts Count Pyotr Rumyantsev.
Russian Empress Catherine the Great is on the six-sided pink 10 Rubles.
The logo of the Trans-Dniester Republican Bank and the date is repeated
across the reverse of each of the coins. The coins are 26mm
to 28mm in diameter luminance when exposed to infrared or ultraviolet
rays. It is an interesting and highly unusual coin
set.
Item
TRNS-PLASTIC TRANSDNIESTRA SET OF 4 COMPOSITE
PLASTIC COINS, 1 - 10 RUBLES 2014 UNC. $6.00
BI-METALLIC
OF MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC OF
DNIESTR FEATURES POPE JOHN PAUL II

This
unofficial bi-metallic 100 Ruble coin picturing Pope John Paul II was
issued for The Moldavian Republic of Dniestr, also known as
Transniestria or Transdniestra. The national arm featuring a hammer and
sickle and a star is on the back of the 2011 dated coin. The
small, communist state bordering the Dniester river declared
independence from Moldova in 1990. Though its independence is
not
widely recognized, it operates as a sovereign nation. The
26mm
coin has a mintage of only 2500 pieces and is Uncirculated.
Item
TNS-100R MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC OF
DNIESTR 100 ROUBLES 2011 POPE JOHN PAUL II, UNC.
$9.75
FIRST
COINS OF TURKMENISTAN
COINS FEATURES STRONGMAN 
These first coins of
Turkmenistan feature the bust of
President Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov
(Nyyazow).
Niyazov, a
former
communist technocrat, declared himself President for Life
soon
after Turkmenistan gained independence from the Soviet Union in
1991. He strongly repressed any potential opposition and
created
a personality cult, going so far as to rename the months and days of
the week after himself. The five coin set consists of the 1,
5,
10, 20 and 50 Tennesi, all dated 1993.
Item
S-TM-SET93
TURKMENISTAN 5 COIN SET 1993 1-50
TENNESI KM1-5 UNC. $8.00
UKRAINE COIN
SET 
This set includes the seven
denominations that Ukraine has issued for its regular circulation
coinage. Included is the 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 Kopiyok and 1
Hryvnia dating
from 1992 to 2003. One side of the coin has the denomination.
the other features the Ukraine coat-of-arms. The
trident insignia on the coat of arms dates back to Volodymyr the Great
who as the Grand Prince of Kiev from 980 to 1015.
Item
S-UA-SET7 UKRAINE 7 COIN SET, 1 KOPIYKA - 1
HRYVNIA 1992-2003 XF-UNC. $6.00
UKRAINE
HONORS POETESS, HISTORIAN

Ukraine honored a poetess and a historian as national heroes on these
1996 200,000 Karbovantsiv coins. The coins portray the
national hero and their birth and death years on the reverse.
The obverse features the Ukraine national emblem. The 33mm
copper-nickel coins are Proof-Like. Lesya Ukrainka was a
female poet, playwright and activist. She was born as Larysa
Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka in 1871. She published her first poems
at age 13, but as Ukrainian language publications were forbidden in the
Russian Empire she used the pseudonym Lesya Ukrainka. She
became a gifted writer that knew 10 languages. Her works
often focused on Ukraine's freedom and independence. Her coin has a
mintage of 100,000 pieces. Mykhailo Hrushevsky was a
Ukrainian historian who served as head of the Central Rada
(Ukraine's 1917–1918 revolutionary parliament) during its brief
existence from March 1917 until April 1918. The Rada House (now the
Kiev City Teacher's House) is depicted behind his portrait on the
coin. His extensive historical works emphasized the
continuity in Ukrainian history from ancient times to the
present. He stressed the role of the "popular masses" and the
popular revolts against the foreign nations that ruled Ukraine in his
works.
Item
UA-UKRAINKA UKRAINE 200,000 KARBOVANTSIV
1996 LESYA
UKRAINKA KM17 PROOF-LIKE $8.00
Item
UA-HRUSHEVSKY UKRAINE
200,000 KARBOVANTSIV 1996 MYKHAILO
HRUSHEVSKY KM27 PROOF-LIKE $8.00
UKRAINE
WILDLIFE COINS
Endangered native wildlife are featured on these attractive 2 Hryvni
coins of Ukraine. The 31mm coins are struck in a nickel
alloy. The obverses of the coins feature a wreath of flora
and fauna, the national emblem, denomination and date.
Item
UA-CRAB00 UKRAINE 2 HRYVNI 2000 FRESHWATER
CRAB KM99 BU $15.00
Item
UA-BISON03 UKRAINE 2 HRYVNI 2003 EUROPEAN
BISON KM167 BU $9.00
Item
UA-MOLE05 UKRAINE 2 HRYVNI 2005 SANDY MOLE
RAT KM357 BU $8.00
Item
UA-GHOP06 UKRAINE 2 HRYVNI BUSH KATYDID
GRASSHOPPER KM391 BU $12.00
CURRENT
RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR HAS ROOTS IN 10th CENTURY VIKINGS


The
roots of Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine can be traced back to a
Viking who lived over 1000 years ago. In Russia he
is called Vladimir the Great. In Ukraine he is known
Volodymyr the Great. Ironically both Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy share his
name. A statue of Vladimir the Great
(his name in Russian) was erected next to the Kremlin by
Vladimir Putin
in 2016. There is also a statue of Volodymyr (his name in
Ukrainian) in Kyiv. Volodymyr was of Viking descent and
Prince of Novgorod. After the death of his father, who was
the Grand Prince of Kiev, he was forced flee to Scandinavia when war
broke out between his brothers. He gathered an army of
Vikings and returned to defeat his only remaining brother in
order
regain Novgorod and become Grand Prince of Kiev. By 980 he
ruled much of what is now Ukraine, Belarus and western Russia,
stretching up of the Baltic Sea. He was initially a follower
of Slavic Paganism and was said to have many wives and 800
concubines. He decided that a monotheistic religion
would
strengthen his control over his realm. In making a
decision as to what religion he should choose he rejected
Islam due to
its prohibition of alcoholic beverages and pork. He remarked
"Drinking is the joy of all Rus'. We cannot exist without that
pleasure." He rejected Judaism as he saw their loss of
Jerusalem as evidence they were abandoned by God.
His envoys to Byzantium were so impressed with the church and liturgy
that they reported "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on
earth"

and
"such beauty, and we know not how to tell of it."
Based on
these reports, in 988 he converted to Christianity and Christianized
Kievan Rus. Ukrainians see him as founder of an
independent Ukrainian nation.
Russia considers him to be the founder of the first Russian Empire
which included Ukraine. Both consider him a saint for
bringing
Christianity to realm. Upon his death in 1015, his son
Yaroslav engaged in a series of
complicated and bloody battles and intrigues against his own brothers
before consolidating his power. He codified legal customs of
the Rus
and was a patron of learning, books and culture, hence he was known as
"the wise". Under Yaroslav, Kievan Rus reached its
cultural zenith
and the height of its military power. He is considered a hero
in both Russia and Ukraine. The 2006 Ukrainian 1 Hryvnia coin
depicts Volodymyr the Great holding a
cross and a model of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. The
reverse of the
26mm aluminum-bronze coin has the denomination. Volydymyr is
also depicted on the Ukraine 2014 1 Hryvnia banknote. The
back depicts Kiev as it was in Volodymyr's time along with an eagle,
cross, mace ax and sword. The front of the 2013 2
Hryvni note depicts
Yaroslav the Wise and a coin of his depicting the tryzub (trident),
which is now the national emblem of Ukraine. The
back includes an
image of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev which was constructed for
Yaroslav. In 2018 Ukraine introduced new nickel-plated steel
1 and 2 Hryvni coins. The coins utilize the same portraits as
the same denomination banknote: Volodymyr on the 1 Hryvnia
and Yaroslav in the 2 Hryvni.
Item
UA-1H06 UKRAINE 1 HRYVNIA COIN 2006 KM209
UNC. $4.00
Item
PM-UA-SET2 UKRAINE 1 & 2 HRYVNI
BANKNOTES 2013-14 P116A & P117
UNC. $4.00
Item
UA-SET18 UKRAINE 1 & 2 HRYVNI
COINS 2018 UNC. $3.00
UKRAINE
CELEBRATES 100th ANNIVERSARY OF ITS NAVY

Ukraine
celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Navy with this 2018 10 Hryven
coin, which is impressive for a country that only gained independence
31 years ago. The Ukrainian Navy traces is founding to April
18, 1918. The commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, sensing the
mood of the majority of the Ukrainian seaman, officially proclaimed the
entire fleet in Crimea to be under control of the Ukrainian National
Congress and raised the Ukrainian flag. In 1921 it
was merged into the Soviet Navy. It was re-established after
Ukraine gained its independence following the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991. It lost most of its ships and its headquarters
in Sevastopol when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. The obverse
of the 30mm copper-nickel-zinc coin includes the Ukraine Naval Flag,
the outline of a warship and the Ukraine national emblem. The
reverse features the number "100" incorporating naval insignia atop
stylized waves.
Item
UA-10H18-NAVY
UKRAINE 10 HRYVEN 2018 100th ANNIVERSARY OF
UKRAINE NAVY UNC. $5.00
2022 UKRAINE COINS HONORS
MILITARY
Ukraine released three 2022 dated 10 Hryven coins honoring their
military which is fighting against the Russian invasion. A
33mm coin honoring the Special Operations Forces depicts the emblem of
the forces on one side and a Special Ops soldier on the
other. Behind the soldier is an outline of Svyatoslav the
Brave with a sword and a shield. Svyatoslav ruled Kievan Rus from 945
until he was killed in an ambush in 972. Another 33mm coin
honors the Navy. One side depicts three naval ships and a map
of southern Ukraine and Crimea, which is currently ruled by
Russia. The other side features the emblem of the
Navy. The third is a 23.5mm 10 Hryven honoring the
Territorial Defense Force. Male and female soldiers with guns
and the force's emblem are on one side of the coin. The other
side features the denomination and the small Ukrainian coat of arms.
Item
UA-10H-SET22
UKRAINE SET OF 3 2022 10 HRYVEN ARMED FORCES
COINS, UNC. $9.75
2018 UZBEKISTAN COIN
SET

In 2018 Uzbekistan released four new
nickel-plated steel 2018 dated coins. The 500 Som depicts the
Palace of Conventions, also called Palace of International
Forums (Anjumanlar Saroyi), which was built in 2009 in
Tashkent. The 200 Som depicts the sun rising over a
tiger. The design is taken from a 17th century mosaic on the
Sher-Dor Madrasah at the Registan in Samarkand. The 100 Som
depicts the Independence and Goodness monument in Tashkent.
The denomination and native designs are featured on the 50 Som. The
Uzbek national emblem and date is on the obverse of each of the coins.
Item
UZBEK18 UZBEKISTAN 4 COIN SET 50 - 500 SOM,
2018 BU
$5.00
UZBEKISTAN COMMEMORATES CENTER OF
ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION

This
bi-metallic 2022 dated 1000 Som of Uzbekistan features the new Center
of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent on one side and the Uzbekistan
national emblem on the other. The Center of Islamic
Civilization is a three story, 45,000 sq.meter (484,376 sq.ft.)
building housing a museum, auditorium, conference rooms, library and
national archives. The project was created by a Presidential Decree in
2017 and financed by Uzbek oligarch who lives in Russia. The
idea is to show that "Islam is the religion of intelligence, peace and
enlightenment - not the religion of terrorism or
fundamentalism." The building t is expected to be
dedicated in 2023. The 26.3mm coin has a brass-plated copper
center and a nickel ring.
Item
UZ-1000S UZBEKISTAN BIMETALLIC 1000 SOM 2022
CENTER OF ISLAMIC CIVILAZATION, BU
$4.00
Also see:
400
YEARS OF RUSSIAN COINS AND CURRENCY
COINS
&
CURRENCY OF FORMERLY COMMUNIST EASTERN EUROPE
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