Anna Ivanovna 1 Rouble

The Anna Ivanovna 1 Rouble was struck using silver often recycled from melted Spanish reales, a practical nod to Russia's trade networks in the early 18th century.

That made sense for an empire stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific. Minted at the St. Petersburg facility between 1730 and 1740, these coins featured the empress's portrait on the obverse and the imperial eagle on the reverse. Designs varied slightly by year, with some showing crisper details than others.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that era were spotty, and many were destroyed in later fires. Still, survivors turn up in collections, their edges worn smooth by time.

If you're handling one, note the reeded edge—a feature borrowed from Western European coins. It didn't stop counterfeiters, though.