Russian Corfu Poltina

The most intriguing fact about the Russian Poltina from Corfu is that it was struck on planchets recycled from melted Spanish reales, a hasty adaptation by the occupying forces short on materials.

This silver half-ruble equivalent was issued between 1799 and 1807 during the Russian and Ottoman occupation of the Ionian Islands. Minted in Corfu, it bore the monogram of Tsar Paul I, reflecting Moscow's fleeting Mediterranean ambitions. The design was simple: a crowned cipher on one side, the imperial eagle on the other, all squeezed out in a temporary mint that probably saw more soldiers than silversmiths.

Exact mintage figures? Lost to time, likely in one of the many fires or upheavals of the era. I've handled a few over the years—worn smooth from circulation in places like tavern bets and market stalls.

Some call it a rarity; it's just a coin that outlasted an empire.