Boris Godunov Polushka

The Boris Godunov Polushka, weighing less than a gram, was struck in such vast numbers that it flooded the market, accelerating inflation in early 17th-century Russia.

These copper coins were produced from ore mined in the Urals, often on uneven planchets due to wartime demands and primitive minting techniques. The design was simple: a mounted rider on one side, inscriptions on the other, with no pretense of artistry. Mintage records, if they existed, were probably lost in the chaos of the Time of Troubles or subsequent fires.

We don't know exactly how many were made, but estimates suggest millions, based on surviving hoards. Over three decades, I've examined enough of these to know they're not the exotic relics some claim. They were just currency for hard times.

Handling one is like grasping at history's loose change.