Getting back into the swing of things, this month I have a few coins from Russia which have been added to my collection.
Starting from left to right, there is a 10 Pennia (1905) from the province of Finland, which was a part of Russia until it gained it’s independence in 1917. In the middle is a 1/2 Kopek from 1747, also known as a Denga. Finally on the right is a Rouble proof from 1990 depicting the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.
The name Denga was the original name for Russian monetary units. Starting back in the middle of the 14th century, denghi were originally made from silver wire which had been cut to a prescribed length and then beaten flat. The flattened disks would then be placed between two coin dies and hammered. Thus resulting in rather elongated oval shaped coins. Due to poor Russian monetary policies, the denga coins were devalued constantly until the great coin reforms of Peter the Great in 1700. Denghi were re-minted as much larger copper coins, as the previous silver coins had been reduced so much in size they weighed on average 0.14g. The name denga was used until the middle of the 19th century when it was changed on the coins to Kopek, with a single denga equating to 1/2 Kopek.
The denga in the pictures shown dates from the reign of Tsarina Elizabeth (1741-62). The daughter of Peter the Great, she is remembered fondly for being strongly opposed to Prussian policies and attempted German influences in the Russian court as well as not executing a single person throughout the entirety of her reign. During her reign she led the country during the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War.
Finland for most of it’s history was not an independent country. It didn’t gain it’s independence until 1917 after a short and brutal civil war. Prior to this Finland was an autonomous province of Russia which it gained in 1809 after the Finnish war against Sweden. Prior to this Finland was part of the Swedish Empire, due to Swedish colonisation and expansion from the 13th century. During the 20th century, Finland fought twice against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War to retain it’s independence. Although gaining independence from Russia, Finland continued with the Markka as it’s currency and would eventually switch to the Euro in 2002 after joining the EU in 1995.
Now some technical information. Proof coins are usually early samples of a coin issue, traditionally as sample coins to check dies and equipment. Today they are struck in higher quantities for the numismatic collector market.
Most proof coins are double struck by highly polished dies. This process allows the details to be much sharper in contrast to regular issue coins, as well as being highly polished to an almost mirror sheen. Another difference between proof and regular issue is that proof coins are individually handled after being struck whereas regular issue are normally thrown into collection bins on mass. The ‘proof’ moniker does not refer to the condition of the coin, but more in regards to it’s historical background and through the process in which they are made.
Numismatic Exploits 