Nicholas II 10 Kopeks

The 10 Kopeks coin from Nicholas II's era was struck in .900 fine silver, a holdover from Russia's bimetallic standard that persisted despite economic strains.

That silver content made it a practical piece for everyday transactions across the empire, even as inflation loomed. The obverse bore the imperial eagle, wings spread wide, while the reverse showed the denomination in a simple Cyrillic script. Minting occurred primarily at Saint Petersburg, with variations in die quality reflecting wartime shortages.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from those years were often incomplete or destroyed in the chaos of 1917. If you handle one today, note the edge reeding, which was meant to deter clipping but rarely did.

Collectors sometimes overstate its rarity, but that's just another myth.