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Coins of the 30s. Coins of the ussr

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Today collectors spend whole years looking for rare coins, and their mere contemplation brings the fans of the case to a state of euphoria. Surely, every numismatist will be interested to know which money of the Soviet Union is the most valuable.

All the rarest metal money during the Soviet era can be divided into 4 groups corresponding to different time periods:

samples of the 20s;
samples of the 30s and 40s;
samples of the 50s and 60s;
samples of the final stage of the existence of the USSR.

Rare money of the 20s

It is noteworthy that the formation of the new monetary system of the USSR took place even before the official formation of the state. Small lots of coins began to be minted back in 1920. Large editions were not made then to check how the accepted samples would take root in society. Therefore, among the metallic money of the first decade of the existence of the Soviet Union, there are a large number of those that are of interest to numismatists. The following samples deserve special attention:

Rare money of the 30s and 40s

The last batch of silver coins in denominations of 10, 15 and 20 kopecks was issued in 1931. The original design of the obverse with a working proletarian holding a hammer in his hand is well known to many numismatists. Today, such copies are estimated at 90-100 thousand rubles. Later, this money was minted from a copper-nickel alloy, and they no longer represent a great value.

The year 1947 was unique. All coins issued in those 12 months were rejected and sent for melting, and only a few samples survived. The reason for this was the mistake of the designers, who, instead of fifteen dressings of ears on the state emblem of the USSR, performed one more.

Rare money from the 50s and 60s

The owners of Soviet metal money of 1953 can consider themselves to be the real lucky ones. Then, various experiments were carried out with alloys, which led to the appearance in circulation of coins with inclusions of chromium and iron. And in 1957, almost all pennies were sent for melting, and only 2-3 hundreds of sets survived. Therefore, they are also very highly valued (up to 70,000 rubles).

In 1961, after the monetary denomination, the minting of the “half-kopeck” pattern began, which had already been abandoned in the 1920s. Today, these are almost the most expensive coins of the USSR, the cost of which can go up to 1.5-2 thousand dollars.

Samples of the final stage of the existence of the USSR

Average prices for expensive coins of the USSR during the "sunset" are in the range of 3-15 thousand rubles. The following denominations can be attributed to rare and demanded specimens:

The contradictions and complexities of history, together with the ornate state system, made the most expensive coins of the USSR also the most valuable culturally and historically. Despite the fact that the years of the existence of the Soviet Union do not belong to hoary antiquity, the history of its formation and collapse is full of bloody events, colorful personalities and extraordinary circumstances, in which, in fact, the coins that we will talk about were minted. These thunderous 70 years of our history are forcing scientists to write new books revealing amazing secrets, and numismatists to look for old coins and buy them tens of thousands of times more expensive than face value.

The value of the coins is explained by several factors. There was no political stability in the Soviet Union, and therefore coins were issued in a small number of editions. The system of monetary circulation was full of glare of different obverse, but the number of each of them was not high. Coins were minted by different government bodies, different mints, and one was replaced by the other in a short period of time. It was an endless kaleidoscope of events.

Secondly, monetary reforms came into force one by one, and, as a rule, they demanded the destruction of the pre-reform circulation. Coins had time to stay in monetary circulation for a very short time.

The next factor was the hostilities that flared up in the Soviet Union throughout the entire existence of the country. Both the printing of money and the minting of coins during the Great Patriotic War, for example, are of interest to numismatists and phalerists, because they took place in conditions of a shortage of both labor and production conditions. In addition, coins were issued in small trial runs, which often remained unclaimed. The fate of some editions is completely unknown, some were immediately withdrawn from circulation.

The most expensive coins of the USSR are a voluminous list, which is replenished with new names due to the above factors. You can appreciate a coin with historical knowledge, so it is better to twist a strong rope from history and numismatics, and then go in search of the desired specimen. Who knows what kind of wealth a great-grandmother's chest of drawers can store. Coins produced in the Soviet Union are rarer and more valuable than any coins of modern Russia.

In the 20s. the Soviet monetary system was in its infancy. And not only this. The issue of coins was also not established in the young country due to the dominance of paper money (credit notes, bank notes, ration cards, etc.). The issue of bargaining coins was a paramount task, therefore the opening of the mint illuminated the state with prospects in 1921. It was the Petrograd Mint. At the same time, the rarest coins of the USSR appeared.

1 ruble 1921 - 1922

It seems to be the same silver coin with the same denomination, minted according to the same sample, but the cost is completely different. The ruble of 1921 costs 1,700 rubles, but 9,000 rubles will be paid for the ruble of 1922. Their occurrence is approximately the same, and the difference in cost is due to historical conditions. The Petrograd Mint experienced the crisis in all its manifestations in 1922 (remember where the silver reserves went in 1905-1920). It was the crisis that led to the redistribution of the power of the mint. When Arthur Hartmann was replaced by Pyotr Latyshev, the two millionth edition of silver rubles with Hartmann's initials was supplemented by an issue with the initials "PL".

Other coins 1921 - 1922 are not particularly valuable. 50 kopecks cost 450 rubles, the rest - 100 rubles. Only 50 kopecks in 1922 with a smooth herd are estimated at 18,000 rubles.

Characteristic.

The coin with a diameter of 3.35 cm is made of pure silver (900 standard). "Workers of all countries, unite!" - reads the inscription on the reverse. Moreover, the comma is placed in the center on some copies, on others it is adjacent to the word "countries". In the center - the coat of arms of the RSFSR, below - the abbreviation S.S.S.R. On the obverse, as usual, there is a star and a denomination enclosed in a ring of oak and laurel branches. Below - the word "RUBLE". Rubles with the initials "AG" and "PL" in 1922 cost 9,000 rubles. The initials can be seen on the edge. Some ruble coins are made from different materials, but these are exceptional cases and are priced individually.

Rare coins of 1924

50 kopecks 1924 weighing 9 grams costs 11,000 rubles.
3 kopecks with a ribbed herd - 50,000 rubles. (Please note that the usual "three-ruble note" does not cost more than 250 rubles). This is the most expensive coin of the year.
An interesting 20-kopeck coin with the rounded letters "USSR", its price will be 45,000 rubles. Expensive varieties are much inferior in number to cheap mass-produced copies.

The old expensive coins of the USSR are circulations of 1925. By this time, the required amount of copper fines in the reserves of the mints reached the desired mark, so in 1925 its production was suspended. But there were "polushki", which were still made under the tsarist coinage. The silver ruble disappeared from circulation, 3 and 5 kopecks will appear only in 1926. The design of the coins is as standardized as possible: both the obverse and the reverse are exactly the same. Only the denomination was different.

The most expensive coins of 1925-1927

A 1-kopeck coin of 1927 can be bought for 2500 rubles. There is a version with elongated letters "USSR", which was estimated at 50,000 rubles.
The cost of a coin of 2 kopecks in 1925 is a record - 42,000 rubles!
The price of rare varieties of fifty dollars rises to 23,000 rubles.

Until the 30s. In the twentieth century, the volume of issue of coins of different denominations varied, the image on the reverse changed, more practical materials replaced expensive ones. However, the most expensive coins of the USSR were also issued during this period.

2 kopecks 1927

This small copper coin has been in circulation for a long time, so few of the discovered specimens are kept in collections in a worn out condition. But the value of the coin is stable and practically does not depend on the degree of preservation. The usual auction price is RUB 75,000-80000.

Characteristic.

No different from other coins of the same year of issue. The denomination is inscribed in a wreath of ears and is located in the center of the disc. Under the face value there is the word "kopecks", and below - 1927 issue.

3 kopecks 1927

It would seem that an unremarkable coin of golden color with a narrow edging, and the cost ranges from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles. The cost depends on the condition of the coin and the presence of distinctive characteristics: the absence of a mint mark, year of issue or decorative elements - such copies will cost hundreds of thousands of rubles.

Characteristic.

Disc 22 mm in aluminum bronze. The obverse is presented in the classic version: the denomination is framed by two ears, under the number “3” there is the word “kopecks”, under it is the year of issue, and the point underneath “1927” completes the composition. The reverse - the Soviet coat of arms in a thin frame, under the edging is the inscription "Workers of all countries, unite!", At the bottom in the middle - "SS.S. R.".

50 kopecks 1929

This was a trial run that did not go into circulation, and this is the reason for the exceptional rarity of the coin. The fifty-kopeck piece is absent even in the archives of the Leningrad Mint. But one copy is still known, and it is in a private collection. The current owner got it for 10,000,000 rubles. on the auction.

Characteristic.

The shine of the coin attracts not only with its uniqueness (there is only one surviving copy). Of interest is the decoration of the coin, which is atypical for the mass minting of the USSR. Cupronickel coin without edging conveys the mood characteristic of late NEP. On the obverse, we see a factory and smoking exhaust pipes in the background. On the first - "50 kopecks", underlined by a tape of several lines. On the reverse there is a tractor and the traditional slogan "Workers of all countries, unite!"

10 kopecks, 15 kopecks, 20 kopecks 1931

The most expensive bargaining chips were stamped from 500-carat silver, so their price is determined not so much by the rarity as by the high cost of the material. Circulations were also destroyed - they were simply melted down. These coins are rarely found on the numismatic market; you can buy one of the copies for at least 65,000 rubles. However, for the quality of VF they will require 95,000-100,000 rubles.

Characteristic.

The diameter of the coins is approximately the same: 10 kopecks - 17.27 mm, 15 kopecks - 19.56 mm, 20 kopecks - 21.8 mm. Material - silver 500. A typical narrow edging, a denomination, decorated with two ears, a dot under the year of issue - all these elements will be present in dozens of coins in the USSR. The reverse bears the embossed Soviet coat of arms and the same slogan.

5 kopecks 1933

The bronze penny circulated in the circulation of money for quite a long time. Finding a coin as XF is nearly impossible. The price is decent - from 25,000 rubles. A worn coin without visible mechanical damage will cost about 8,000 rubles.
Characteristic.

The 5 gram coin is made of aluminum bronze, 2.5 cm in diameter. The design is typical for all coins of the 20-30s.

20 kopecks 1934

These are the famous so-called "hammermen". The coins earned this name due to the image of the hammer on the obverse. It is impossible to establish the number of copies, because for some reason it was completely destroyed, except for a few dozen that fell into the hands of collectors. The design of the coin included a huge number of elements that were difficult to execute, so the two-grenade coins were not included in the money circulation of the Soviet Union. About 15 copies remained from the trial run, one of them is in the Hermitage. You can sell a coin for 95,000-100,000 rubles.

Characteristic.

The aesthetic design of the coin is fundamentally different from the numismatics of the 30s. The denomination on the obverse was not the central and main element of the composition. Attention is focused on the image of a proletarian in a work apron with a hammer in his hand. He is holding a figured shield on which the face value is indicated - "20 kopecks". Slightly above the hammer is the year of issue - 1934. Under the edging, there is a circular inscription "UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC". On the reverse - the coat of arms of the USSR.

When people talk about the thirties in the USSR, then, depending on the views of a person, different associations may arise. For some, this is the time of camps, hopeless terror and total dictatorship. And someone will remember that then there were great construction projects, the construction of industrial giants, which are still synonymous with major industrial achievements. There was a time of spiritual uplift, the belief that future generations will live better than their parents. Yes, life is not easy for the common people. But, the results of labor were already clearly visible. It is impossible to describe all the processes of that time in one article. Therefore, we will pay attention only to the issue of prices and salaries. Enthusiasm, great construction projects are wonderful. But how did the people live? What could you buy with the money you earned? First, let's look at the salaries and incomes of different categories of Soviet citizens. In order not to be unfounded, documents of that era will be cited. Let's start with working specialties.

The salary of a third locksmith, i.e. low grade, according to a note in the newspaper of those years, 600 rubles a month.

And here they write about the earnings of the drilling foreman, already 1,000 rubles.

Surely, there are brigadiers here, and for the absence of marriage, and for overfulfilling the plan by his brigade.

BUT! RUB 1000 there is an excess of the average salary in the country by 4 times (it was 250 rubles). And that's for the plan at 166%

These are, of course, the foremost workers in production, the Stakhanovites, as they said then. The average salary for blue-collar occupations in production was 350 rubles.

Now about the earnings of handicraftsmen and artel workers, cooperators. The fact that, in the Stalinist USSR, the artel-cooperative movement was highly developed, we will not touch on this topic. Only about income. So here's a visual about the earnings of handicraftsmen:

And here's another:

Agree, not small incomes at all. After that, there are fewer questions about how beekeepers and artel workers could buy tanks for the front.

The salaries of engineers were higher than those of blue-collar workers. So the factory engineer had a salary at the end of the thirties, 1.5 thousand rubles. And this is understandable - it was necessary to stimulate people to study.

And in order to become an engineer, you need to study. Life was not easy for students at all times. So how did students live in the thirties?

The Saratov collective farm agricultural technical school promises scholarships of 250 rubles for those who have passed the entrance exams for three "fives" and one "four".

For reference: In 1940, the average wage of workers and employees of the RSFSR was 339 rubles.

We read the newspapers of that time:

And here you can judge the income of the engineers of human souls of that time:

How much did a writer earn in the USSR? This, of course, is difficult to determine.

For example, the unknown writer Lev Savin. Lev Savin is not very famous and even the Literary Encyclopedia cannot give the date of the writer's death.

SAVIN Lev (pseudonym of Savely Moiseevich Lev, 1891-) - writer. R. in the family of a craftsman. He graduated from a real school.

He served as an accountant. Was at the front, later a Soviet employee. He began to write in 1929.

S.'s first novel "Yushka" depicts the old barracks, drill, soldiers' enmity towards officers, but the contradictions of the tsarist army of S. have not been revealed. In the collection "Mountain-Man", along with the depiction of the powerlessness of the tsarist soldier ("Private Immortal"), S. refers to modern reality ("A Dream in Reality"). The novel "Nafta" is dedicated to the development of the oil industry in Russia, the history of the struggle for Soviet Azerbaijan.

S.'s last piece, Candide's Outing, is an attempt at a satirical depiction of Nazi Germany.

A superficial understanding of fascist reality reduces the ideological and artistic quality of the novel.

From 1930 to 1935, Savin wrote 7 works, by the way, being, to put it mildly, not a very popular writer.

The minimum circulation for an aspiring writer, NOT a member of the Writers' Union, was 100,000 copies. The average price of a not thick book was 1 ruble 20 kopecks.
Total, 120,000 rubles. Regardless of whether the circulation was sold out or not, a fee of 5,000 rubles and a miserable one and a half percent were paid ... minus income tax.
In total, a young author could buy:

Country house with a plot
- a modest cooperative apartment
- a modest used car (because there was a queue for a new one)

And he still had money left to write a new book.
And if he was admitted to the Union of Writers, then he did not need to buy an apartment (they gave him free), and they paid a scholarship (about 150 rubles for a beginner) plus fees for small literary work (200-300 rubles), plus free vouchers to the House of Creativity in Maleevka ...

And how was military service paid in the Red Army? Here are some scans of documents from those years:

This is from the financial documents of that time:

And the priests. Yes, the priests ...

And what about the prices? What could you buy with the money you earned? Here is the respected "historian30h" provided a wonderful document: "Price list of uniform state retail prices for foodstuffs" for 1935

Each period in the history of our state was distinguished by its laws, orders and, of course, coins. In this article, we will look at one of the longest periods in the history of our country - the years of the existence of the Soviet Union and the coins that were issued during this difficult time.

Surely many of us still have houses coins of the USSR... However, only a few are aware that some of these coins may be of high value for numismatists.

The value of coins from the times of the USSR can be explained by various factors:

small circulation of coins due to political instability;
constant monetary reforms, requiring the destruction of previous editions, because of which the coins were in circulation for only a short time;
frequent hostilities, due to which coins were minted in conditions of scarcity;
trial runs that were not in circulation.

How much are the coins of the USSR today, and which coins are the most valuable to collectors? To answer these questions, let us turn to the history of the 20s - 90s of the last century.

USSR coins of the 20s

In the early 1920s, the monetary system of the USSR was just beginning to be built. Mostly paper money was in use, and coins were required to exchange them. That is why in 1921 the Petrograd Mint was opened, where the first coins of the USSR were minted.

New coins were minted in small batches, as it was not known how well they would take root. One mint was not enough for minting, and the telephone factory Krasnaya Zarya was connected in 1923 to issue copper coins.

By 1925 coins of the USSR kopecks enough copper was produced, so their release was suspended. The silver ruble has also ceased to be issued. Instead, they began to mint polushki.

In 1926, coins of 3 and 5 kopecks began to be minted, which were brought to the same standard and externally differed only in denomination. By the end of the 1920s, it was understood that coins should be minted from more practical metals.

The most valuable coins of 1920-1929:

1 ruble of 1921 made of silver - 1700 rubles;
50 kopecks in 1922 with a smooth herd - 18,000 rubles;
1 ruble of 1922 made of silver - 9,000 rubles;
3 kopecks in 1924 with a ribbed herd - 50,000 rubles;
20 kopecks in 1924 with the rounded letters of the USSR - 45,000 rubles;
50 kopecks in 1924 weighing 9 grams - 110,000 rubles;
1 kopeck 1925 - 4000 rubles;
2 kopecks 1925 - 50,000 rubles;
1 kopeck 1927 - 2500 rubles;
2 kopecks 1927 made of aluminum bronze - 75,000 rubles;
3 kopecks 1927 - 2000 rubles;
5 kopecks 1927 - 7000 rubles;
50 kopecks 1929 (trial circulation) - 10 million rubles.

Expensive coins of the USSR of the 30s

By the beginning of the 30s, silver coins had ceased to be issued completely, the last edition of silver was issued in 1931. Instead, they began to use an alloy of copper and nickel for minting 10, 15 and 20 kopeck coins.

The most famous coin of this time was the nickel “hammer” in 1934 denomination of 20 kopecks. The name comes from the hammer on the obverse. The coin belonged to a trial run and was almost completely destroyed "for technical reasons", less than a hundred copies have survived.

USSR coins values 1930-1939 years of release:

10 kopecks 1931 made of 500 silver - 65,000 rubles;
15 kopecks 1931 made of 500 silver - 65,000 rubles;
20 kopecks 1931 made of 500 silver - 65,000 rubles;
5 kopecks 1933 made of bronze - 5000 rubles;
20 kopecks 1934 "hammerman" - 95,000 rubles;
5 kopecks 1935 - 5000 rubles.

Valuable coins of the 40s of the 20th century

In 1941, the Great Patriotic War began, which practically led to the termination of minting. During the war, only the Leningrad Mint was in operation, which was moved to Krasnokamsk. After the end of the war, a widespread restoration of production and housing began, so there was no time for the release of new coins.

At the same time, the number of the administrative-territorial parts of the USSR changed from 16 to 15, and this number appeared on the reverse as the number of head bands. Therefore, all penny coins in 1947 had to be reissued. The new coins were made of pure bronze.

All coins minted in 1947 are rare and therefore expensive, their cost starts at 50,000 rubles.

The values of the USSR coins of the 50s

In the early 50s, coin production began to resume. New cheap alloys were created from copper, zinc, nickel and iron, chromium, nickel, from which a large circulation was made at the Leningrad Mint.

In 1958, a re-issue was again required, due to which a large number of coins had to be disposed of. The ears on the obverse of the new aluminum bronze coins have been replaced by laurel branches. Coins of the USSR 1958 classified as rare, and have a cost of 20,000 to 70,000 rubles.

Coins of the USSR 60s - 90s

The period from 1960 to 1991 was relatively stable, so it can be viewed as a whole.

In 1961, during the new monetary reform, 1, 3 and 5 kopeck coins were issued, and a half-coin was again issued, which, however, soon disappeared from circulation due to inconvenience of use.

In 1965, the first commemorative 1 ruble coin appeared, after which others began to be issued in honor of memorable dates. Although such coins are valuable because they were issued in large numbers and from cheap metals.

In the 70s - 80s, coins were produced in large editions, so most of them are not valuable. Only in the early 90s were coins issued in several limited editions due to the economic and political crisis.

Valuable coins of 1960-1991 years of issue:

5 kopecks 1970 - 4500 rubles;
15 kopecks 1970 - 7,500 rubles;
20 kopecks 1970 - 3000 rubles;
5 kopecks 1990 MMD - 5000 rubles;
10 kopecks 1990 MMD - 4000 rubles;
20 kopecks in 1991 without specifying the place of minting - 15,000 rubles;
10 rubles 1991 MMD made of bimetal - 15,000 rubles.

Thus, in the era of the USSR, many coins were issued, which today are of great value. therefore expensive coins of the USSR it is quite possible to find at home among old coins.

It is worth noting that the prices for coins in the article are approximate, they may differ depending on the condition of the coin, as well as the place where it was sold or bought. To get acquainted with photo of USSR coins, go to the appropriate section of the site.

Please note that the prices quoted for each of the coins are the average of the sales of these coins at various auctions. If you become the proud owner of an expensive USSR coin, you can find out its exact value only after checking its authenticity and condition.

Opens the 1923 gold piece. Although it bears the name of the state of the RSFSR, it is a political formality. They were issued for foreign economic settlements and, most likely, practically did not participate in circulation on the domestic market. But since the "old" tsarist gold on the international market at that time aroused much more confidence than the "new Soviet" gold, they were not successful. Therefore, most of the circulation was melted back into gold bars and re-minted into pre-revolutionary chervonets. Despite the very large circulation (almost three million pieces), very few of them have survived to this day. To date, the collection prices for the 1923 gold ducat exceed 150,000 rubles.

Chervonets 1923 - 150,000 rubles.

2 kopecks 1927 - 120,000 rubles.

2. The next in chronology - 2 kopecks in 1925. After large circulations in 1924 (the first year of the monetary reform), the copper coin in 1925 was issued in very small quantities and only in lower denominations. As a result, 2 kopecks of 1925 now cost about 60 thousand rubles. It is interesting to note that collectors did not know about its existence for more than thirty years. The first coin was found by numismatists only in the middle of the last century. Since then, not many have been discovered.

Even more rare and valuable are 2 kopecks from 1927. Their price is more than 100 thousand rubles. But thanks to the development of metal search and the finds of diggers, their rarity has recently dropped. However, it is still extremely difficult to find such a coin in perfect condition.

20 kopecks 1931 - 150,000 rubles.

20 kopecks 1934 - 100,000 rubles

3. One of the most valuable coins of the USSR, silver 10, 15 and 20 kopecks of 1931. By the beginning of the 30s, new Soviet coins had won the confidence of the population. Therefore, it was decided to finally exclude the use of precious metals in money circulation. Beginning in 1931, instead of a silver coin, a copper-nickel coin was minted. Although silver 10, 15 and 20 kopecks from 1931 are included in all catalogs, it is almost impossible to find them. Unless only in the form of late remakes. The only silver coin of 1931 that could be found in circulation is 20 kopecks. Its cost exceeds 150,000 rubles

4. 20 kopecks of 1934 are found only in the form of late remakes and cost more than 100 thousand rubles. Only a few original copies are known even in museum collections. The fact is that the design of the coins of 1931 - 1934. turned out to be very difficult - a worker with a hammer, a shield framing the denomination, and even the full name of the state in a circle. As a result, a very large percentage of coins when minted were defective. Therefore, it was decided to stop issuing coins with a picture, and to destroy all 20 kopeck coins of 1934.

5. 5 kopecks 1933 cost 20 thousand 5 kopecks 1934 and 1935 (old type). - 9.000 rubles each. It is difficult to name the reason for the extremely small circulation of these coins. Most likely, the reserves of copper and aluminum were more needed to solve the problems of the second five-year plan.

Wartime coins - 10 and 15 kopecks in 1942, the price is 15,000 rubles.

6. The rarity of 10 and 15 kopecks in 1942, which are valued at 15,000 rubles each, can be explained as follows. After the mint moved from Leningrad, to the Urals, to Krasnokamsk, in wartime conditions, it was not immediately possible to start a full-fledged minting of the necessary coins. The following year, the issue of coins stabilized. As a result, 10 and 15 kopecks of 1942 became one of the rarest for the entire time of these denominations.

7. The most famous and one can say absolutely the rarest and most expensive coins of the USSR are all denominations of 1947. Although more than 500 million of them were minted, they were all melted down. For what reason, one can only guess. Only one thing is clear, the new post-war coat of arms of the USSR with 16 ribbons (approved in June 1946), as a result, appeared on the coins only in 1948. Of the coins of 1947, only exhibition specimens survived (with traces of soldering antennae, which were attached to the demonstration stand) by this and due to the fact that they are the most valuable coins of the USSR. A complete set of 1947 coins was sold in 2008 at an auction for more than 200 thousand euros, i.e. over a million rubles for each coin.

8. Immediately after them, according to popularity among numismatists and rarity, follows a set of coins of 1958. In it, 2, 3 and 5 rubles were added to the usual denominations. The 1961 monetary reform was originally planned to be carried out in 1958. The coins had already been minted, in an amount sufficient to replace the existing monetary mass, and sent to all regional banks. But then something went wrong with the reform and instead of the command to "print the bags", the Central Bank had to give the command "return". Despite this, some of the small denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 10 kopecks ended up in the money circulation. One and two kopeck coins cost an average of 150 thousand rubles, 3 kopecks. - 60,000 and 10 kopecks. in the region of 40,000 rubles. The prices for other coins of 1958 are significantly higher (up to 3.5 million rubles).

The so-called mix-ups, when coins are minted using the obverse of another coin or on a coin mug intended for a different denomination, are highly valued by numismatists. Prices for such coins are often in the region of 30-50 thousand rubles. But a special and most interesting group of coins is errors. This is when a stamp with an outdated coat of arms is used for embossing the obverse. For the period 1924 - 1957. 4 emblems of the USSR were replaced. They differed in a very prominent detail - the number of ribbons that signified the number of republics that were part of the Soviet Union.

These coins include:

10 kopecks in 1946 and 20 kopecks in 1941. But only those, during the minting of which the obverse stamps of the 1937 model were used with 7 ribbons in the emblem (instead of the required 11). The price of such coins is very significant and exceeds 50 and 100 thousand rubles, respectively.

It is very rare to find 2 kopecks of 1948 with an early coat of arms of 11 ribbons (instead of 16). They cost 70 thousand rubles.

1 kopeck in 1957 with the coat of arms, abolished in 1956 from 16 ribbons. An extremely rare and sought-after option. In September 2010 it was sold at auction for 600,000 rubles.

A peculiar pair of confusions: 10 kopecks in 1957 with 16 ribbons instead of 15. And 10 kopecks of the previous 1956 with a wreath of 15 ribbons instead of 16, which began to be used only from the next year. Each is estimated at 50,000 rubles.

Of the most interesting for numismatists (and therefore expensive in price), I will note the rare confusion of 3 and 20 kopecks of 1931 - 1934. The fact is that the name of the state of the USSR on 3 kopecks was placed on the front side with the emblem, and on 20 kopecks. in the form of a circular inscription "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" on the reverse side with a hammer and face value. When, by mistake, 3 kopecks were minted using a face close in diameter of 20 kopecks, then under the emblem instead of the usual abbreviation of the USSR one could see a dash, i.e. the name of the state was completely absent on the coin. But the confusion of 20 kopecks with a coat of arms of 3 kopecks. declared its state ownership twice on each side - both in short and in full. Auction prices for such error coins reach 100 thousand rubles and more.

3. The most valuable test coins of the USSR in 1953 and 1956.

Quite a lot of test coins of the USSR are known for 70 years of their minting. The vast majority have survived only in a few copies and are either in museums or in the archives of the State. Jar. Their prices and rarity can only be discussed theoretically. Those copies that nevertheless fell into private hands were sold and bought at auctions anonymously, at extremely high prices. Thus, the 1925 trial gold piece made in copper was sold for 5 million rubles, and the price of the unique 50 kopecks in 1929 at the auction reached a record amount of 10 million rubles.

Trial 1 kopeck in 1953, two versions of the front side.

Test coins of 1953 and 1956, which were produced in the course of the future reform of 1961, are much more common. In total, several dozen species are known. And in total, if not a few thousand, then a few hundred for sure have survived.

So, if not buy them, then at least see them. Additional interest is caused by the fact that these are not samples of individual coins, but attempts to develop the entire nominal range from 1 kopeck to 5 rubles. In addition, these are the coins, thanks to which the design of the familiar coins of the 1961 sample was finally formed.

Reverses of test coins of 1953, search for the optimal version.

At the auction, where they periodically appear, you can get an idea of the prevailing prices for these coins. The most common ones are estimated at 100 - 150 thousand rubles, the main options are sold as a rule from 250 to 700 thousand rubles.

4. Valuable coins of the USSR of the period 1961 - 1991.

After intensive minting in 1961 and 1962, coins with a denomination of 3 to 20 kopecks were not issued at all for two years. Over the next few years, these coins were produced in very limited quantities. As a result, they are rare, and are highly valued by collectors. For convenience, specific figures are summarized in the table.