2001 Russian 1 Kopek

The 2001 Russian 1 kopek was struck from steel with a copper coating, a choice that made it prone to rapid tarnishing in everyday pockets.

This design reflected Russia's post-Soviet efforts to standardize low-denomination coins on the cheap, using materials recycled from scrapped industrial stock. The obverse featured the double-headed eagle, a symbol dating back to imperial times, while the reverse simply stated its value. We don't know the exact mintage figures for 2001, as records from that era are spotty, but it was one of millions produced at the Saint Petersburg Mint.

Plenty of these ended up ignored in change jars, their utility fading as inflation outpaced their worth. It's no wonder they were discontinued by 2006.Collectors sometimes call it the "forgotten kopek," and they're not wrong.