1985 Soviet 5 Kopeks

In 1985, the Soviet Mint produced 5 kopeks coins from aluminum alloy, a switch made in the 1960s to cut costs amid resource shortages.

This particular coin featured the familiar Soviet state emblem on the obverse, with the denomination and year on the reverse, all struck at the Leningrad facility. Denominations like this kept daily transactions moving in a sprawling empire. We don't know the exact mintage for that year, as records from the late Soviet period are spotty.

What we do know is that these coins circulated heavily until the USSR's collapse, often showing wear from constant use. By the 1990s, they were phased out as Russia reformed its currency. A dry observation: in numismatics, even a coin this ordinary can outlast the state that issued it.