The practice of re-coining or re-minting was widespread in 18th century Imperial Russia. This is where a new image is applied to old coins using various types of stamps. This solid copper coin, with a face value of two kopeks, from the Numismatic Collection of the Karasuksky Regional Museum, was re-minted in 1757 from a five-kopek coin issued between 1723 and 1730. Vladimir Bitkin’s catalog shows that it was minted by the Red Mint, Moscow.
The coin’s obverse depicts the Great Martyr, Saint George on horseback, striking a dragon with his spear. Elizabeth of Russia’s cipher is embossed in the center of the coin’s reverse. It is made up of the letter ‘E’ (for Elizabeth) and the letter ‘P’ (for Petrovna). The date of minting is stamped either side of the cipher. The cipher is surrounded by a wreath formed of laurels and palm branches, tied together at the bottom with a ribbon. The coin’s edge is latticed, with criss-crossed cuts. The coin doesn’t indicate its value.
Empress Elizabeth of Russia was part of the Romanov dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I, and ruled the Russian empire from 1741 until 1761. In the later years of her reign, the government decided to issue copper coins at a rate of sixteen rubles from sixteen kilograms of copper. This meant that 16.3 kilograms of copper had to mint exactly 16 rubles of coins, in one particular denomination, for example two-kopek coins. On 8 April, 1757, a decree specified that this should be extended to two-kopek, kopek, denga and quarter-kopek coins. A year later it was extended to five-kopek coins as well. The previous type of kopek-coins and five-kopek coins were re-minted into the new two-kopek coin. The decree concerning the ratio of 16 rubles to 16 kilograms of copper proved to be successful and lasted until 1810. In 1810, it was changed to a new ratio of 24 rubles from 16 kilograms of copper.
Copper coins from the reign of Elizabeth of Russia were minted at the following mints: Moscow Red (MM or without designation), Yekaterinburg (without designation), Saint Petersburg (without designation) and Sestroretsky.
A large proportion of the two-kopek coins reminted between 1757 and 1759 had previously been lightweight five-kopek coins issued between 1723 and 1730, and kopek coins issued between 1755 and 1757. Coins with an inscription on the rim had the coin’s value stamped above the Moscow coat of arms. Copies with a simple lattice edge had the value stamped under the coat of arms.
The coin’s obverse depicts the Great Martyr, Saint George on horseback, striking a dragon with his spear. Elizabeth of Russia’s cipher is embossed in the center of the coin’s reverse. It is made up of the letter ‘E’ (for Elizabeth) and the letter ‘P’ (for Petrovna). The date of minting is stamped either side of the cipher. The cipher is surrounded by a wreath formed of laurels and palm branches, tied together at the bottom with a ribbon. The coin’s edge is latticed, with criss-crossed cuts. The coin doesn’t indicate its value.
Empress Elizabeth of Russia was part of the Romanov dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I, and ruled the Russian empire from 1741 until 1761. In the later years of her reign, the government decided to issue copper coins at a rate of sixteen rubles from sixteen kilograms of copper. This meant that 16.3 kilograms of copper had to mint exactly 16 rubles of coins, in one particular denomination, for example two-kopek coins. On 8 April, 1757, a decree specified that this should be extended to two-kopek, kopek, denga and quarter-kopek coins. A year later it was extended to five-kopek coins as well. The previous type of kopek-coins and five-kopek coins were re-minted into the new two-kopek coin. The decree concerning the ratio of 16 rubles to 16 kilograms of copper proved to be successful and lasted until 1810. In 1810, it was changed to a new ratio of 24 rubles from 16 kilograms of copper.
Copper coins from the reign of Elizabeth of Russia were minted at the following mints: Moscow Red (MM or without designation), Yekaterinburg (without designation), Saint Petersburg (without designation) and Sestroretsky.
A large proportion of the two-kopek coins reminted between 1757 and 1759 had previously been lightweight five-kopek coins issued between 1723 and 1730, and kopek coins issued between 1755 and 1757. Coins with an inscription on the rim had the coin’s value stamped above the Moscow coat of arms. Copies with a simple lattice edge had the value stamped under the coat of arms.
