Coins, like any relic of a certain period, carry history and some value, and the most ordinary, at first glance, specimen can have a significant value. Sometimes the difference between a valuable coin and an ordinary one can consist of only one letter or comma, and only a qualified numismatist can recognize it.
Valuable coins of the USSR
During the existence of the USSR, starting from 1921, a large number of coins were issued. They do not yet have tremendous historical value, because not even a century has passed since the founding of the Union. But the leading numismatists arranged a real hunt for them, because today especially rare coins can have a value of tens of thousands of rubles. Valuable coins and their value vary depending on whether they were prototypes that were not released into circulation, or coins issued in small quantities and quickly withdrawn from circulation.
The first coin of the USSR, which is notable for its rarity, is a copy of 1 ruble in 1921, which was made of silver with a standard of 900 and weighed 20 grams. The obverse of the coin contained an image of a star with a unit in the center, which was encircled by dots in a circle. Above the star, between the oak and laurel branches, the denomination "ruble" is depicted. All rubles of these years contained the phrase "PROLETARIANS OF ALL COUNTRIES UNITE" with a single difference - the location of the comma.
The second coin, which has no less value, is the ruble, which was issued during the crisis and the change of government (including the leadership of the mint) in 1922. It differs from the previous copies in the form of a comma, the size of the dots around the coat of arms, and the letters on the edge of the “PL” and “AG” coins.
The year 1925 pleased collectors and numismatists with several more valuable masterpieces, the most expensive of which, due to the issue of small editions, are considered to be one and two kopeck copper coins. Today, the cost of these copies can reach 5-6 thousand rubles. The coins of this year have the same design, differing only in the indicated denomination.
So the disappeared 2 kopeck coin, minted by the Leningrad Mint in 1942, remained a mystery. According to legend, there were 450 coins of this denomination, and all of them were destroyed by soldiers who used them for homemade lighters. That is why there is not a single surviving copy.
The most modest in the field of numismatics was the period of 70-80s, and only in 1990 a couple of copies of 5 and 10 kopecks were issued, which are valuable because the letter "M" was depicted on the right side of the coat of arms, which means the Mint of Moscow.
Valuable coins of Russia
Since the collapse of the USSR, Russia has begun to mint its own coins, some of which have turned out to be no less valuable. For example, a 2001 2-ruble coin, issued in honor of Yuri Gagarin's space flight, differs from a similar anniversary one only in that it does not have a mint mark. Due to this, its price is thousands of times higher than the anniversary one.
Valuable coins are also relevant, the value of which increases several hundred times due to stamp defects on five-kopeck copies of 2002 and 2003. And if you were lucky enough to get hold of 5 rubles, minted in St. Petersburg in 1999, it can be considered a great success, because this rare coin costs about 400 thousand rubles.
In general, coins of the St. Petersburg court of these years are in high demand in numismatics. For example, nickel ruble 2003 or 5 kopecks 2002-2003. made of steel with cupronickel can be sold at auction for thousands of rubles, and the condition of the coin directly affects the value.
Valuable modern coins
Collections of coins are constantly replenished with mass copies, while other, more rare types, become more expensive and cause excitement at auctions. These are coins of centuries ago, which today in modern Russia are in great demand in the highest circles of numismatists due to their individuality and high cost. For example, a 10-ruble coin depicting Alexander III of 1880 is almost impossible to get. Therefore, its cost has already reached 2 million rubles.
Sberbank of Russia offers investment coins made of gold: chervonets from the Sower collection, fifty rubles from George the Victorious, or Signs of the Zodiac. All of them are made of gold of the highest standard, and no tax is charged for transactions with them. Such copies have a high price today, which will only increase over the years.
Also, commemorative coins dedicated to various events stand out from the rest. They have a beautiful design to symbolize a memorable date, as well as a limited edition.
Commemorative coins: Sochi 2014
As an example of commemorative coins can serve as copies with an unusual denomination of 25 rubles, which were issued before the Sochi Olympics. These are special four varieties of coins, each of which has its own meaning: the first two, "Talismans of Sochi", are minted from an alloy of nickel and copper, moreover, one of them, with a circulation of 250 thousand units, is colored. The reverse of the coins is engraved with the symbols of the Olympic Games: a bear, a leopard and a hare.
The next two types, "Emblem of Sochi", also have a color and colorless version. On them, the reverse displays snow-capped mountains with the inscription "sochi.ru 2014", and next to it there are five rings symbolizing the Olympics. The colored coin features a blue-tinted inscription, and the rings are depicted in different colors.
Commemorative Sochi coins have one more feature - the coat of arms is depicted on the obverse, unlike other coins.
Commemorative coins of the 2014 Olympics are not only an interesting and valuable gift. The specimens arouse a keen interest among collectors and a gambling desire to take possession of them in order to present the coins many years later as a beautiful memory of such a memorable event.
