1704 Peter I 5 Kopeks

In 1704, the Russian mints produced the 5 kopeks coin using copper planchets that were often hand-hammered, reflecting Peter the Great's drive to modernize currency production.

This early reform coin featured a simple design: the tsar's monogram on one side and the denomination on the other. Records from that era are sparse, but we know it was struck at the Moscow mint, part of a broader effort to replace outdated silver-based systems with copper for everyday use. The coins varied in weight and quality due to rudimentary techniques.

Not every piece survived intact; corrosion was common even then. Mintage figures? Lost in the 1838 fire that ravaged imperial archives, so no one can say for sure.

Some call them crude, but that's the charm.