Russian 2004 5 Roubles

This 2004 Russian 5 Roubles coin commemorates the 60th anniversary of the end of the Siege of Leningrad, a brutal episode that lasted nearly 900 days.

It was struck at the Moscow Mint in cupronickel, with a diameter of 25 millimeters and a weight of 5.63 grams. The obverse features the standard Russian coat of arms, while the reverse shows a poignant image of the city's defenders. Not every detail is clear; records on the exact number of proof strikes remain murky, lost in bureaucratic archives.

Design-wise, it's straightforward, avoiding the overblown symbolism that plagues so many anniversary pieces. If you're handling one, note the edge lettering: it reads "Five Roubles" in Cyrillic, a touch that collectors sometimes overlook.

Mint errors were rare that year, or at least, I've seen few in three decades of pawing through trays.