1986 Soviet 3 Roubles

The 1986 Soviet 3 Roubles coin commemorates the 25th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first manned space flight, a feat that put a human in orbit before most countries had reliable elevators.

Struck in .900 silver at the Leningrad Mint, it features Gagarin's profile on the obverse and the Soviet state emblem on the reverse, with a diameter of 39 millimeters and a weight of 33.63 grams. I've examined dozens of these over the decades; the edge is reeded, and the quality control was typical for the era—solid, if not flawless. Mintage figures? Those files vanished with the USSR, so I won't speculate.

Some folks still spin tales about hidden meanings in the design, as if every hammer and sickle was a secret code. It's just a coin, not a spy novel. If you're collecting, check for wear on the high points; that silver tarnishes quicker than you'd think.