1820 Russia 3 Kopeks

The 1820 3 Kopeks under Alexander I weighed a solid 18 grams, making it one of the heavier copper coins in circulation at the time, a practical necessity for a Russia still dealing with post-war inflation.

Struck at the St. Petersburg Mint, this coin featured the imperial double-headed eagle on the reverse, a design that echoed the tsar's authority without much flair. The obverse simply stated the value and date, keeping things straightforward for everyday use in markets and villages.

Mintage figures are murky; records from that era often went up in smoke during later fires or reforms. What we do know is that these coins were churned out in bulk to facilitate internal trade, far from the silver roubles meant for international dealings.

Collectors sometimes overlook how these coppers sat in pockets next to dirt and lint, a far cry from the polished myths. As for humor, I'll say this: weighing that much, it doubled as a makeshift weight for the kitchen scale.