Finnish 10 Penni 1917

This 1917 10 Penni coin was the last one struck in Helsinki for Finland while it remained under Russian imperial control, a mundane footnote to the empire's collapse.

Minted from copper, it bears a simple design: the Finnish coat of arms on one side and the denomination on the other, all overseen by the Russian Mint. Records from that year are spotty, thanks to the chaos of revolution, so exact production figures are anyone's guess. What we do know is that these coins circulated briefly before Finland's independence in December.

Finnish numismatists sometimes debate whether the date reflects quiet resistance or just routine scheduling. As for myths, I've heard tales of hidden tsarist symbols, but that's nonsense—it's a straightforward piece.

One dry note: Calling it "Finnish" now feels like labeling a borrowed suit as your own wardrobe.