Soviet 1978 10 Kopeks

The 1978 Soviet 10 kopeks coin was minted from low-grade steel, a shift prompted by the USSR's need to economize during Brezhnev's stagnant economy.

That steel came from domestic sources, likely including recycled scrap, as the Soviet Mint sought to reduce reliance on imported metals. The coin's design was straightforward: a simple sheaf of wheat on the reverse, symbolizing agriculture, and the state emblem on the obverse. At about 1.8 grams and 17.5 mm in diameter, it was built for circulation, not show.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from that era are spotty. What survives is that these coins saw heavy use across the Soviet republics, wearing down quickly in everyday pockets.

Finding one in good condition today is a minor challenge, but that's just how it goes with utilitarian pieces from the Cold War.