1 kopek of Peter 1 as a symbol of the era

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:45

Kopeck as the smallest monetary unit was in use long before the arrival of Peter the Great. Nevertheless, she became a real symbol of the Petrine era.

Silver "scales" and coins of pre-Petrine times

1 kopek of Peter the Great came into use as a bargaining chip only by the middle of the 18th century. She owes her appearance in the monetary system to Elena Glinskaya. The widespread practice of cutting silver coins seriously undermined the economy of the state. They were often cut to half their original weight, which caused difficulties in the calculations and, as a result, the discontent of the people.

In 1535, the mother of Ivan the Terrible issued a decree according to which all old coins were withdrawn from circulation and replaced with new ones with a clearly established weight, denomination and widespread distribution. In fact, it was the first nationwide monetary system.

The weight of Elena Glinskaya's silver penny was 0.68 grams. The coin of a smaller denomination was money (weighing 0.34 g). In the course there were also half-coins, the weight of which was taken from half a coin or a quarter of a penny. The smallest monetary unit until the beginning of the 18th century was the copper pool.

Coins in the pre-Petrine era were minted on pieces of silver wire. Their outerit looked like a cross between watermelon seeds and fish scales. In numismatics, the term “scales” or “scales” was fixed behind them.

1 kopek of Peter 1: new monetary system

By the beginning of the reign of Peter the Great, a serious crisis had matured in the monetary system of the state. The old “scales” were still in use, but their weight had decreased by almost three times. They resembled more a watermelon seed than a full-fledged coin, and the king contemptuously called them "lice".

The coin of Peter the Great (1 kopek) had the familiar appearance of a flat disc. The tsar approached the replacement of silver coins with copper ones cautiously, fearing discontent among the people. In 1700, copper coins and money were minted, and only in 1704 did the classic 1 kopeck of Peter 1 appear - a copper coin that was equal to 1/100 of a silver ruble.

As in pre-reform times, a rider with a spear was depicted on it, an inscription was placed on the back. Until 1718, the new copper pennies and the old silver ones existed in parallel, until the latter were finally replaced.

Numismatic value

Today 1 kopeck of Peter 1 is a collectible rarity. The earliest copper coins from 1704 are especially prized. Their cost reaches 25 thousand rubles. Coins from 1705 and later are valued much more modestly. However, they are also of considerable interest to numismatists and antique lovers.