Ivan IV Polushka

The Ivan IV Polushka, weighing barely a gram, was one of the smallest coins ever issued in Russia, yet it fueled the empire's vast trade networks.

Minted from copper during Ivan's reign, these coins lacked the finesse of earlier silver pieces, with irregular shapes and crude stamps that hinted at rushed production in Moscow's mints. Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that era often burned in later fires or were never kept. What we do know is that they circulated amid Ivan's oprichnina terror, serving as pocket change for peasants and soldiers alike.

I've handled dozens over the years, and let me say, trying to spot a genuine one from a counterfeit is like fishing in the Volga—plenty of bites, but few worth keeping.