What metal are 10 kopecks made of. Metals used for the production of Russian coins

Antique money was most often made from precious metals. After all, slow-moving coins were easily melted down and turned into jewelry. Their denomination roughly corresponded to the value of the metal. They also used a natural alloy of gold and silver - electrum. When silver became too expensive, and the money from it became small and inconvenient, copper and its alloy with tin, bronze, went into business. Thus, the main monetary group gradually formed, consisting of gold, silver and copper. In the illustration below, we will see this trinity on the example of the manufacture of medals, coupled with alchemical symbols (top left - gold, top right - silver, bottom left - copper).

In difficult times, when coinage from copper turned out to be too expensive, iron, lead and tin were used. After the establishment of low prices for aluminum, they began to use it for the production of small things. In numismatic catalogs, even if they indicate the composition of the alloy (and pure metals are most often unsuitable for a walker), they still determine one or another section for the base metal: “gold”, “silver” or “copper” (“bronze”).

The base metal of the coins of the Russian Federation

If we are talking about everyday items that have recently left the mint, then they are made of steel. It is an alloy of iron with the addition of carbon that is currently the basis for the issue of negotiable settlement signs of the Russian Federation. Considering that carbon in coin steel contains up to 1.7%, we are talking about high-carbon steel.

To give the coins durability and corrosion resistance, they are coated with a galvanized coating. For the most recent issues of denominations below the ruble, this is brass. Coins of ruble denominations are plated with nickel. All steel coins have pronounced magnetic properties. Above is a steel five made on a blank that mistakenly avoided galvanizing.

Coin metals of Russia

Silver. For the Russian kingdom, it was the main coin metal. Even under Vladimir, Svyatopolk and Yaroslavl, silver coins were minted. After a coinless period, the Russian kingdom regains a silver coin, known among collectors under the name "scales". Under Peter the Great, silver coins take on a round shape, approaching European counterparts. Gradually, the sample of silver decreases. High-grade silver (900th test) under Nicholas II remains only in large denominations (25 and 50 kopecks, as well as the ruble). Two-hryvnia, five-altynnye, hryvnias and nickels are minted from low-grade silver, called billon. They can only be called silver by half. Currently, silver of the 999th test is used to issue investment items (for example, "George the Victorious"). Sterling silver (925th test) is the coins of the Russian Federation for collectors.

Gold. The first gold money in Russia appeared under Prince Vladimir. Ivan III minted the gold “Korabelnik” and began issuing “Ugric” coins, which received their name from the Hungarian ducats that penetrated Russia from Western Europe. Rather, they were coin-like medals, presented as a reward for exploits or diligence in the service. They become a full-fledged means of payment under Peter the Great. High-grade pure gold is used for manufacturing, where copper acts as a ligature. This money is called - chervonets. If they indicate the face value in rubles, then this is a large amount: from two rubles and more. The last coin issued from gold as a circulating coin can be considered the Soviet chervonets of 1923. Further, gold is used only for minting collectible or investment coins.

Copper. The first issues of copper money led to "copper" riots. Such a harsh attitude towards copper among the population was formed due to the inconvenience of its circulation (salaries were issued in copper money, and taxes were collected exclusively in silver) and a large number of unsecured coins. At some point, 170 rubles of copper were exchanged for only six rubles of silver. Since 1700, copper has firmly entered the circulation only by the strong-willed decision of Peter the Great. Under different rulers, the value of the coin stack (the number of rubles minted from a pood of copper) changed significantly.

Kolyvan copper with admixtures of gold and silver occupies a special place in the coinage of Russian money. From it, the Suzun Mint from December 1763 to June 1781 produces a Siberian coin, which was in circulation only in Siberia. An exceptional phenomenon can be considered copper boards issued under Catherine I following the example of similar settlement signs in Sweden. The last domestic copper coin is the USSR half-kopeck of 1928.

Platinum. The Russian Empire was the first to use platinum to issue circulating coins. Denominations of 3, 6 and 12 rubles were minted under Nicholas I. If gold and silver items often perished in fires, then the fire resistance of platinum was a big plus in storing savings. However, after a sharp drop in the price of the metal, platinum coins began to be massively abandoned in favor of gold coins, and minting was stopped. In the USSR and the Russian Federation, platinum coins were issued for collectors.

Palladium. There are no circulating Russian palladium coins, although the idea of ​​issuing palladium rubles for the population in 2009 was expressed by Boris Gryzlov, who then held the position of vice speaker of the State Duma. Collectible palladium coins have been minted by the State Bank of the USSR since 1988, but they were intended for sale to collectors. After the collapse of the USSR, the Bank of Russia continued to issue them for some time. The last palladium commemorative coins were issued in 1995.

Alloys for the production of coins of modern Russia

And finally, let's take a look at the "walker", that is, ordinary circulating coins of the 1997 sample. 1 and 5 kopecks, which were not mass-produced after 2014, have a steel base plated cupronickel. It is a copper-nickel alloy containing iron and manganese. It is sometimes referred to as "white copper". For the first time, domestic circulating coins from cupronickel appeared in 1931, when the Soviet Union decided not to spend silver on the issuance of a walker anymore. Cupronickel plating have five-ruble notes 1997-2009, the core of which consists of copper. Until 2017, cupronickel was the central insert of bimetallic tens. Also commemorative coins worth 25 rubles are minted from cupronickel.

Brass, otherwise called "Yellow Copper", was used to mint denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks until 2006 inclusive. It is an alloy of copper and zinc. Since the end of 2014, at these denominations, brass has been used as part of the galvanized coating of the steel base. In the period 1961-1991. it was from brass that the denominations of the lower group from 1 to 5 kopecks were minted. Bimetallic coins of the Russian Federation had a brass ring until 2017. Later, the ring began to be made of steel covered with brass.

Connoisseurs of domestic monetary metals should also remember about red brass. This is one of the types of brass, where the copper content varies between 88-97%, and the share of zinc is a tenth of the total mass. Among the advantages of tompak is high anti-corrosion. Therefore, they were plated with steel blanks for coins of 2009-2014 in denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks.

aluminum bronze. This is a type of bronze, where aluminum acts as a ligature (from 5% to 11%). Beautiful golden-yellow and fairly light coins in 1926 replaced heavy copper on the USSR denominations from 1 to 5 kopecks. Aluminum bronze was used on the coins of the Russian Federation in 1993. It was from it that 50 rubles were minted. By non-magnetic properties they can be separated from later issues (clad steel).

Nickel silver. Sometimes instead of the classic name "new silver" (from the German word Neusilber), it is called "nickel silver". It is an alloy of copper and nickel in a silvery color. It was he who replaced cupronickel on Soviet coins as a result of the 1961 monetary reform. Copper-nickel coins were also minted in the first years of the independent Russian Federation. Nickel silver is indifferent to a magnet, but if a little more nickel is added than is required by technology, the coin sometimes begins to react to strong magnets. It was from nickel silver that denominations of 1 and 2 rubles were issued for the period 1997-2009.

In conclusion, let us recall that, it turns out, there were also Russian money made from seal skin. They were in circulation in Russian Alaska. The issuer was the Russian-American Company, which exercised full power in this territory. Sealskin as a blank for the money of the 21st century is unlikely to return. However, new technologies are on the way. Perhaps, in a few years, metals will give way to bright composite materials, from which PMR calculation marks have already been made. Even in the era of universal cashless transactions, it is always pleasant to hold real coins in your hands.

Latest auction prices for coins in Russian rubles

A photo	Description of the coin	G	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC	proof
	10 kopecks 1917 BC Bitkin: R1 from 683 to 53,384 rubles.	-	700	683	3 331	6 091	5 668	7 611	53 384
	12 rubles 1830 SPB Bitkin: R3; Ilyin: 45 rubles from 1.43 million to 2.40 million rubles	-	-	-	1.43 million	2.08 million	-	2.40 million	-
	6 rubles 1830 SPB Bitkin: R2; Ilyin: 25 rubles from 548,962 to 1.34 million rubles	-	-	-	548 962	623 198	1.34 million	-	557 565
	3 rubles 1830 SPB Bitkin: R; Ilyin: 10 rubles from 76,609 to 141,243 rubles.	-	-	-	76 609	81 434	141 243	-	-
	polushka 1700 Bitkin: R1-R2 from 3,622 to 25,370 rubles.	-	-	5 400	3 622	25 370	-	-	-
	1 kopeck 1997 M from 15 to 110 rubles.	-	-	15	-	110	-	62	-
	5 kopecks 1997 M from 102 to 147 rubles.	-	-	-	-	102	147	124	-
	10 kopecks 1997 M from 47 to 675 rubles.	-	-	-	47	-	-	675	-
	50 kopecks 1997 M about 308 rubles.	-	-	-	-	-	-	308	-
	1 ruble 1997 MMD from 5 to 149 rubles.	-	-	-	-	5	10	149	-
	2 rubles 1997 MMD from 169 to 346 rubles.	-	-	-	169	-	-	346	-
	5 rubles 1997 MMD about 900 rubles.	-	-	-	-	-	-	900	-
	10 rubles 2009 MMD from 200 to 378 rubles.	-	-	-	-	378	200	-	-
	10 kopecks 1769 KM Siberian Siberian coin Petrov: 0.75 rubles from 3,070 to 102,059 rubles.	-	-	3 070	4 000	12 525	102 059	-	-
	50 rubles 1993 MMD non-magnetic non-magnetic from 6 to 280 rubles.	-	-	-	6	157	-	280	-

Coins as a means of payment appeared long before paper money. It turns out that they were made not only from gold and silver.

During the reign of King George IV of England, in 1825, an alloy called "Burton's metal" was used as coin metal. It was copper covered with a thick layer of gold.

From gold to cardboard

For the production of British sovereigns, the so-called crown gold was used - 22 carats of gold and 2 carats of ligature - usually copper or silver. In modern Great Britain, coins in denominations of 1 pound and 3 pence are minted from nickel brass - an alloy of copper, zinc (from 3 to 30%) and a small amount of nickel. Italian coins of 50 and 100 lire, until the introduction of the euro, were made of stainless steel (an alloy of iron with chromium and nickel). In 18th-century Bohemia and 19th-century France, metal money was minted from an alloy of tin and lead or from an alloy of copper and antimony.

The earliest coins, minted in Lydia and in the Frankish state, were made from ore containing 75% gold and 25% silver.

But there was a time when instead of metals for the manufacture of coins, their surrogates were used, and not always durable. For example, in 1574 in the Netherlands, in 1915 in Mexico during hyperinflation, after the First World War in Germany, cardboard was used for this purpose. In Russia, postage stamps were used as coins. In Japan, at the end of World War II, baked clay coins were issued. Embossed pieces of leather were used as a means of payment in the 16th century during the wars in Europe. Porcelain coins are believed to have been put into circulation during the Ptolemaic period in Egypt and Thailand in the early 18th century.

multi-colored coins

In modern Russia, for each denomination of coins, their own alloy of metals is used, corresponding to their face value - hence the different color of the coins. Each coin has its own specific weight.

White coins, in denominations of 1 and 5 kopecks, are made of bimetal - a special alloy of steel clad with cupronickel. The plating gives the coin a white color. To be more precise, steel is the "core" of the coin. Cupronickel allows you to make the coin more wear-resistant and durable.

Coins in denominations of 10 and 50 kopecks - yellow - are made of brass. They do not contain impurities of other metals.

Ruble coins in denominations of 1 and 2 rubles are made from an alloy of copper and nickel. Moreover, there is more nickel in this alloy than copper, since copper is easily deformable, therefore, coins with a high content of it would be less durable.

Five-ruble coins are made of bimetal. The base of the coin is made of copper, and the surface is clad with cupronickel.

Until last year, coins with a denomination of 10 rubles were also made from bimetal, but using a slightly different technology. The base - the disk of the coin - was cast from cupronickel, and the ring was made of brass, so the coins have a double color. Since 2010, new ten-ruble coins have been put into circulation, which are made of steel coated with copper by galvanic treatment (copper is “built up” on steel under the influence of an electric current).

Collecting is a very interesting and informative hobby, giving the owner knowledge, both in the field of history and numismatics. Of course, knowledgeable connoisseurs of rare specimens will immediately answer the question: “What metal are coins made of?”. However, it will not be easy for a beginner who has recently begun to get involved in numismatics to determine the composition and types of coins. That is why the article presents: popular metal alloys, as well as fascinating historical facts about Russia and the USSR.

From the history

The very first coins were made by ancient craftsmen from a natural alloy of gold and silver in 685 BC. e., during the reign of the Asia Minor king Ardis. These data reached contemporaries thanks to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentioned the memorable event in his full-length treatise. Coins at that time were minted from silver, gold and copper, although there were specimens made of iron, tin and lead. Since then, the design and composition has changed significantly, acquiring new types and sizes.

Interesting
In Russia, before Peter the Great came to power, coins were minted mainly from silver, and only after the next tsarist reform did they begin to include gold in precious metal alloys.

The nominal value of the copy began to fully correspond to the price of the metal, which greatly reduced the risk of inflation and the possibility of counterfeiting money. Naturally counterfeit coins still met, but it became much easier to determine their authenticity. Upon closer examination, it became clear that the fake differed from the original by a slightly lower weight.

By the way, platinum for minting coins in Russia began to be used approximately at the beginning of the 19th century, but due to uneconomical in 1845, platinum copies were discontinued. There is an opinion that the prices for platinum were artificially inflated by European partners.

At the very beginning of the formation of the USSR, the government decided to change the composition of the coins, replacing copper with a unique aluminum bronze. However, in the early 30s, the era of alloys containing non-precious metals was born, which is still welcomed today. Of course, collection issues made of precious alloys are an exception.

Types of metals and alloys

Based on trusted sources, even a person inexperienced in numismatic terms after reading the article will be able to easily determine the composition of the coin.

There are such alloys as:

• bronze;
• billon;
• electr;
• brass;
• potin.

Features of silver coins

In the catalogs of Russia, the chemical designation, familiar to the modern layman, is used - Ag.

Silver is inherently soft and resistant to temperature processes, a metal with high ductility, ductility and excellent stamping during minting, however, compared to gold, its casting qualities are an order of magnitude lower. At the same time, the value of silver coins increases year by year.

Interesting
During the minting process, copper alloys are added, which significantly change the mechanical characteristics of silver, making the product more resistant to adverse factors.

In Tsarist Russia and the USSR, craftsmen used silver from 125° to 900° for the production of coins. Modern masters use only 925 ° sample material, since it is in this form that the specimen retains its original appearance for a long time.

Unique features of platinum

In the late seventies, the USSR began issuing collectible coins, which ended in 1991 due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In general, eleven copies were created, of which five units were denominated at 150 rubles. were made in honor of the upcoming Olympic Games.

After the disappearance of the USSR, sixteen collectible coins with a face value of 20.50 and 150 rubles were minted in Russia, which today are of great value at any auction, because after 1996 platinum coins were no longer minted.

Platinum (Pt) is quite hard, which is why it is not quite ductile, steel-gray in color, which begins to melt when the temperature reaches 1759 ° C.

An interesting feature is the fact that the metal can completely dissolve only in aqua regia.

(Au) soft, ductile, malleable and graceful material with a golden hue and excellent castability.

For the manufacture of gold coins, gold is combined with an admixture of various alloys, mainly copper, which increases the durability and hardness of the product.

One of the most famous coins made of gold is the gold chervonets "Sower", issued in the USSR in the early twenties. The copy has a replica made at the "sunset" of the communist system.

Copper coins

Copper is several times harder than gold and silver, which is why it shows itself remarkably well on coinage. In Russia and the USSR, copper coins were minted from 1700 to 1926, and after that it was replaced with aluminum bronze.

Combined coins (bimetallic)

Combinable coins are made from two materials, typically using alloys of brass and cupronickel. By the way, the first bimetallic coin with a denomination of ten rubles was issued in the USSR and put into circulation in 1991. The copy did not have the Soviet coat of arms, so it was minted in Russia until 1992.

Summing up, we can safely assure that it will be quite difficult to determine the composition of an alloy and metal without special knowledge in chemistry and numismatics, however, thanks to the World Wide Web, you can always find information of interest to the reader and reveal the fascinating features of a particular alloy, as well as easily determine its components.

A coin is a banknote made of metal that serves as a legal means of circulation and payment. Most often, coins are round, less often - oval. Earlier coins were minted or cast from copper, silver or gold. Modern coins are usually made from aluminum, copper or nickel alloys. The name "coin" came, as scientists believe, from the second name of the Roman goddess Juno, at the temple of which money was minted in ancient Rome. Juno was called the Mentor, which in Latin sounded like Juno Moneta.

It is customary for each coin to distinguish between the front (it is called the obverse) and the reverse side (it is called the reverse). The side edge of a coin, its edge, is called edge. The science that comprehensively studies the history of money circulation and coinage is numismatics.

After a short digression into history, we will tell you about how coins are made at the modern mint.

coin making process

• First, the designer develops a sketch of the coin on paper, after which he creates its three-dimensional model in an enlarged form. Then the model is covered with a thick layer of silicone-based rubber, which reproduces the entire relief of the model in the smallest detail. When the rubber hardens, it is carefully removed and a kind of “negative” of the coin is obtained - the convex parts of the image become concave and vice versa, the concave ones become convex. The resulting negative mold is filled with epoxy resin and waited for it to harden, after which the epoxy copy is removed from the silicone mold.
• A special reduction machine transfers the image from the epoxy copy to a master stamp made of steel. During the transfer process, the image is reduced, and the size of the resulting stamp already corresponds to the given dimensions of the future coin.
• On the basis of the main master die, working dies are made of high-strength steel. They are hardened, polished and then chrome plated to give them extra strength and increase their service life.
• On special presses, round blanks of coins are cut and their edge is processed, applying the necessary inscriptions and notches on it.
• After that, the workpiece is heated, cooled, pickled and polished to a mirror finish. The blank is now ready to be loaded into the coin press.
• Steel punches mint both sides of the coin simultaneously, after which the new and shiny finished coins only need to be counted and packaged.

This concludes our story about how coins are made. Finally, some information about the coins of Russia.

Modern coins of Russia

• Now coins of the 1997 sample are in circulation in denominations of one, five, ten and fifty kopecks, as well as one, five, ten and twenty-five rubles. Now a few words about what metal coins are made of. One- and five-kopeck coins are minted from nickel-plated steel, ten and fifty kopecks are made of brass, coins of one and two rubles are made of copper-nickel alloy, and ten rubles are made of brass-plated steel.
• Modern Russian coins are minted at two mints - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Coins are marked with the mark of the mint on which they were minted. Sometimes there are coins on which such a sign is absent due to technical violations in the process of minting. Coins without a mintmark are extremely rare and therefore very expensive. So, for example, for a five-kopeck coin of 2002 that does not have a hallmark, collectors are ready to pay five thousand rubles, and a 50-kopeck coin of 2001 with the hallmark of the Moscow Mint will bring its happy owner an incredible amount - as much as one hundred thousand rubles!

Throughout the history of money, one of the fundamental issues of their issue has been the choice of material for manufacture. Metal, and later metal alloys, could serve as an equivalent to the denomination of a coin, or could play the role of its symbol with a certain degree of protection and reliability. From what metal and alloys coins were made and are now being made in Russia - this is a whole layer of study of Russian numismatics, which constitutes a separate page in its national history. Of considerable interest is the ratio of the value of the metal to the purchasing power of the money for which it was minted, and how all this has changed over the centuries.

History reference

More than a millennium has passed since the appearance of the first Russian metal coins, and throughout this time silver has been the metal of the main money supply. Gold and copper occupied a considerable place and importance in it, and yet silver was out of competition in all ages until the advent of Soviet power. The word “money” itself has Turkic roots, and in the pre-Mongolian period in Russia, the equivalent word “silver” was in circulation, which clearly shows the importance of this metal in the circulation of money.

The first copper in this capacity appeared in troubled times of feudal fragmentation against the background of the poverty of the treasury of individual subjects. And already under Ivan the Terrible, gold money disks also saw the light. However, both of them had a very limited circulation. And only under Peter the Great did both copper and gold find their firm place in monetary circulation in Russia and in international settlements. But each metal is worth special attention.

Silver

The minting of the first so-called "silver pieces" began during the reign of Volodymyr the Great. Approximate time - 990s. It was an intrastate Russian coinage, the time of which did not last long. Literally from the second half of the next century, a "coinless period" began in Russia, during which silver bars acted as a means of payment.

The minting of coins was resumed already during the reign of Dmitry Donskoy, but only two denominations made of silver were put into circulation - half and denga. And only after the accession to the throne of Ivan the Terrible, the first penny appeared in everyday life, which was destined to become the basis of state monetary circulation. In the middle of the 17th century, the first rubles were also issued, which were also minted in metal and were silver, however, only half a century later they gained a full-fledged status in the monetary circulation of the Russian state.

Under Peter I, the appearance of the coins changed, but it was still the same silver. And only with the advent of Soviet power, it was decided to abandon the use of this metal. The last coins for regular circulation of precious metal were dated 1931. True, they disappeared from circulation at a record speed.

Gold

The appearance of the first gold coins in Russia occurred at about the same time as from silver, but their volumes were incomparable, and the rulers who came to power after the 10th century completely stopped the “gold” coin production. Under Peter I, gold coins finally took a firm place in circulation, these were 2 rubles and the so-called chervonets, on which their denomination was not indicated. Under the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, new denominations of 5 and 10 rubles appeared. At a time when paper banknotes were depreciating catastrophically, gold money, which remained a solid and reliable money, was in great demand and had a high rate.

The last circulating circulation took place in 1923, these were chervonets, identical to the royal 10 rubles. But, 10-ruble coins made of precious metal, minted in order to provide paper chervonets, did not reach the population. And they were refused to be accepted abroad because of the Soviet symbols depicted on them. For this reason, the release was stopped, and the minted circulation was melted down. Subsequently, coins from this precious metal were issued only for investment purposes and were not intended for regular circulation.

Copper

The first copper coins were called pools, they were produced in the 15th century in the Novgorod and Tver territories, but they were not widely used. They were small in size and did not have a perfectly round shape. The ratio of their nominal value to silver coins has not yet been precisely clarified, more precisely, numismatists have not been able to come to a consensus. Pools were in circulation, although very limited, until the unification of Russia, after which copper money appeared again only under Alexei Mikhailovich. It was an attempt to equate silver and copper based on their size and weight.

The result was a devastating collapse in the exchange rate and the infamous "copper riot" that followed. The idea was considered a failure and was quickly abandoned. Full-fledged copper coins began to be minted from the beginning of the 18th century, and they already had a modern round shape and went on a par with silver "flakes", far ahead of their time in this sense. The excellent quality of these copper coins made it possible to partially replace the amount of mint silver, which the country already lacked.

The first coins of Russia were also made from this metal, in particular, lower denominations up to 5 kopecks inclusive in 1924, however, the production of copper coins was recognized as unprofitable and already in 1026 they were replaced by other metals - in particular, more durable and less expensive bronze.

In the recent history of Russia, a copper coin with cupronickel plating was also issued, it was 5 rubles in 1997. They were no longer minted, replacing the base with steel, but they are still in circulation to this day.

Kolyvan copper

This type of copper should be singled out separately. It was obtained from ore mined at the Kolyvan deposit, located in the Altai Territory. here in the 18th century. silver and gold were mined, after which the copper obtained from the ore still contained some admixture of these precious metals. For example, the percentage of gold could reach values ​​of 0.01%, and silver, respectively, up to 0.8%. Of course, this was not enough for the appearance of visual differences, but the estimated price of the metal was already different - 4 times higher.

From it it was proposed to mint special money, called "Siberian coins". Their main feature was less weight - they were 1.5 times lighter than usual. Especially for these needs, a mint was opened, called Suzunsky and located at a small distance from the modern city of Barnaul. The minting of Siberian coins of lower denominations up to 10 kopecks inclusive continues here in the period 1763-1781. They are distinguished by a different pattern with the presence of the coat of arms of Siberia.

Gradually improving technology for extracting precious metals from copper ore has led to the fact that their remaining impurity has become negligible. At the same time, coins were still minted in light weight, which, as expected, resulted in an unprecedented scale of counterfeiting. Fake "Siberian money" was stamped from ordinary copper, the cost of which was 4 times lower, bringing huge profits to scammers.

Platinum

Unlike other metals from which money was minted for centuries, platinum was discovered only during the reign of Alexander I. Its deposits were discovered in the Ural mountains, and they were very significant. They began to mint coins from platinum only under Nicholas I, these were denominations of 3, 6, 12 rubles. Due to the much higher estimated value of the metal and the use of the same equipment as for minting silver, the changes affected precisely the denominations. With the same mass and size of coin discs, they (denominations) were increased 12 times (ruble silver coin began to correspond to 12-ruble platinum, etc.).

The mass production of money from the precious metal took place in 1828-45, until counterfeiters again stood in the way of the state money machine, who this time used much cheaper silver to mint "platinum" money. In low light conditions, it was very easy to confuse them. As a result, the entire platinum coin supply stored in the state treasury, and everything that could be returned to it from circulation, was sold for melting down in England. In the new history, the issuance of coins from platinum returned already during the period of Soviet power, but these were no longer running, but collection commemorative and investment issues, the end of which was put an end to in 1995.

Palladium

This metal bears a strong resemblance to platinum at much lower density readings. In this parameter, palladium is closer to traditional silver. Banknotes from it were not minted for circulation in regular circulation, these were only limited collection issues in improved quality. They were produced in a short period of 1977-95.

Copper Nickel

This coin metal replaced the more expensive silver in the second decade of Soviet rule. 10, 15 and 20 kopecks were minted from it for the first time. In appearance, the alloy has a silvery color with a slight greenish tint. It has a copper base with nickel included in it, which plays the role of an alloying element. The connection has an increased resistance to wear and corrosion and differs in two types - structural and electrical. In coin production, the first, structural type is used, which also has two varieties: nickel silver and cupronickel. In the first case, zinc is added to copper and nickel, in the second, iron and manganese.

What are the coins of Russia of the Soviet period made of? In particular, a copper-nickel alloy, called nickel silver-10, was used to make small change coins in 1958 during the period 1961-91. Commemorative coins of 1965-70 were also minted on the same blanks. Subsequently, a copper-nickel alloy with a high nickel content was used for commemorative coins to improve running characteristics and appearance. Copper-nickel alloys in various percentages and with an admixture of various other metals are still used. The content of copper in them can reach up to 90%, the nickel component usually does not exceed the threshold of 20%.

What are 10 ruble coins made of?

For modern bimetallic dozens in Russia, cupronickel insert is used. This alloy, in addition to copper and nickel, includes 0.8% iron and a little more, about 1% manganese. Along with the copper-nickel alloy, 10-ruble coins of the modern stage were also produced from steel clad with cupronickel. Outwardly, they are practically no different, but are easily identified with a magnet.

Bronze

Another coin metal of the Soviet period, which served as a replacement for more expensive copper. In addition to lower cost, bronze has another important advantage - higher resistance to aggressive environmental factors. It is based on the same copper (up to 90%) with the addition of other metals in various proportions, including tin, aluminum, lead, as well as silicon and beryllium. Their percentage may vary, and depending on this, bronze can be called tin (traditional bronze), aluminum, lead, etc.

In color, such coins are more yellow in comparison with pure copper. In air, they quickly acquire a darker shade due to the formation of a protective film, due to which further oxidation of the metal surface slows down. Bronze was used in coin production from 1926-57, after which it was replaced by an alloy based on copper and zinc. But in 1990, it appeared in a new capacity - inserts for 10-ruble Russian bimetallic coins began to be made from this metal.

Brass

It is a compound of copper and zinc, which is characterized by a low content of copper. Its cost is much lower than bronze and actually pure copper. In the current coin production, this material is mainly used for the outer coating of steel blanks, however, there were also purely brass samples of coins of 10 and 50 kopecks in the history of Russia in the post-Soviet period. Also in this capacity, bimetallic rings of 10 rubles minted in 2000-16 were made. and some commemorative copies of the period 1995-96.

Nickel

The history of the use of this metal in coinage is very short. These are 2-kopeck probes of 1883, which were discovered 4 years after they were minted in the bins of the SPMD (68 pieces in total). A certain industrialist Permikin from the Urals offered for this purpose nickel mined in his mines, but things did not go further than trial lots, to which they returned twice more, in 1911 and in 1916.

Red brass

An alloy little known to the general consumer, used for plating 10 and 50 kopeck coins in the period 2006-15. It proved to be excellent in the production of cutlery, but, for all the high cost and high quality, it turned out to be of little use in the coin business due to the rapid loss of appearance.

Steel

This is the cheapest of all metals used in coin production. It has been used since the 90s of the last century for minting coins of lower denominations, most often with external plating with other alloys. The disadvantage of the increased hardness of steel is the rapid wear of the stamps to the delight of modern numismatists, since it is this metal that gives a large number of stamp defects in the form of splits, crumbs and not minted.