Russian 1994 1 Kopek

The 1994 1 kopek coin was struck using copper-plated steel planchets, a material hastily adopted by the Russian Mint to cut costs after the Soviet collapse.

This choice made it prone to corrosion, turning what should have been a durable low-denomination piece into something that flakes after a few years in circulation. The obverse features the double-headed eagle, Russia's new emblem, while the reverse simply states the value—a design that carried over little from its predecessors beyond basic functionality.

We've got no solid records on exact mintage figures; those details might have been lost in the bureaucratic shuffle of the early 1990s. As for its rarity, it's common enough in hoards, but good luck finding one that's not tarnished.

Plenty of folks mistake these for Soviet relics, but that's just lazy history.