ddddd ex-Soviet nations set - Composite Thread

For those who have been following along and those who may be seeing it for the first time, this thread will serve as the unifying place to show the entire set of ex-Soviet nations. The set started with my interest in coins from Kazakhstan (they have an excellent bimetallic space series, which I discovered years back by collecting the silver and niobium series from Austria) and expanded as I found several other coins that appealed to me. Having a few already in hand, I decided to embark on the challenge of adding one from each of the fifteen former Soviet Republics. The goals are that every coin is post 1991 (after independence), silver, and graded. Some of these are simple enough to find while others have proven to be quite difficult to attain. Through this journey, the set has seen some expansion to countries that were never Republics but either came close or played some sort of pivotal role. There is also a small diversion to explore the disputed territories (areas that were within the Soviet Union or had some connection but did not become recognized independent countries-they tend to be a fragile part of other independent nations). Since most of these do not have official coins, the rules are a bit more relaxed as to what can be part of the set (the goals of graded and silver have been dropped).

What follows is each of the fifteen republics in alphabetical order. Then you will see the "add-ons" and the disputed territories.

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Country Armenia
Denomination 1000 Dram
Year 2007
Subject Flora and Fauna of Armenia
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 33.6
Diameter (mm) 40
Mintage 500
Mint Czech Mint
Grade PCGS PR 69 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-armenia-version-2-0.388193/



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Country Azerbaijan
Denomination 5 Manat
Year 2015
Subject Wrestling
Composition Silver 0.999
Weight (gr) 31.21
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 1,000-1,100
Mint Royal Mint (London)
Grade NGC PF 70 UCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-azerbaijan.380895/



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Country Belarus
Denomination 20 Roubles
Year 2014
Subject The Legend of the Bullfinch
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 33.62
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 2,000
Mint Lithuanian Mint
Grade PCGS PR 70 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-belarus.386606/



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Country Estonia
Denomination 25 krooni
Year 2010
Subject History of Estonia
Composition Silver 0.999
Weight (gr) 24.1
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 15,000
Mint Mint of Finland
Grade PCGS PR 70 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-estonia.379486/



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Country Georgia
Denomination 5 Lari
Year 2019
Subject 100th Anniversary of Issuance of the First Georgian National Postage Stamp
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 15.5
Size (mm) 33 x 27
Mintage 1,500
Mint Mennica Polska (Warsaw, Poland)

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-georgia.403193/



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Country Kazakhstan
Denomination 500 Tenge
Year 2013
Subject Heritage of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 31.1
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 7,000
Mint Kazakhstan Mint
Grade PCGS PR 70 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/kazakhstan-–-homeland-of-apples.376054/



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Country Kyrgyzstan
Denomination 10 Som
Year 2017
Subject Age of the Kyrgyz Khaganate
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 28.28
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 1,000
Mint Kazakhstan Mint
Grade NGC PF 69 UCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-kyrgyzstan.388160/

 

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Country Latvia
Denomination 1 Lats
Year 2004
Subject Coin of Time
Composition Silver 0.900 & niobium
Weight (gr) 17.15
Diameter (mm) 34
Mintage 5,000
Mint Münze Österreich (Austria)

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-latvia.397783/



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Country Lithuania
*to be determined*

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Country Moldova
Denomination 50 Lei
Year 2012
Subject Red Book (of animals)
Composition Silver 0.999
Weight (gr) 16.5
Diameter (mm) 30
Mintage 1,000
Mint issued by the National Bank of Moldova (likely made by the State Mint in Romania)

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-moldova.394741/



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Country Russia
Denomination 3 Roubles
Year 2010
Subject Year of the Tiger
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 33.94
Diameter (mm) 39
Mintage 15,000
Mint Moscow Mint
Grade PCGS PR 70 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-russia.385486/



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Country Tajikistan
Denomination 5 Somoni
Year 2010
Subject 10th Anniversary of EurAsEC
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 31.1
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 2,000
Mint Kazakhstan Mint
Grade NGC PF 67 UCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/and-the-stan-set-grows-with-tajikistan.379258/



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Country Turkmenistan
Denomination 20 Manat
Year 2011
Subject 20th Anniversary of Independence
Composition Silver
Weight (gr) 8.11
Diameter (mm) 22
Mintage 300
Mint Royal Mint (UK)

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-turkmenistan.398807/



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Country Ukraine
Denomination 10 Hryven
Year 2013
Subject Ukrainian Heritage
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 33.74
Diameter (mm) 38.6
Mintage 5,000
Mint Ukrainian Mint

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-ukraine.389624/



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Country Uzbekistan
*to be determined*

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This post starts the "add-ons" section. These are coins that represent countries that had some important role or were close to becoming a Republic. There could be quite a few of these and my set will likely not cover all. The standard for inclusion in the set is simple: I must like the coin (it also helps if the price is reasonably low).

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Country Afghanistan
Denomination 500 Afghanis
Year 1995
Subject 50th Anniversary of the United Nations
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 28.28
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage not certain (some sources have it at 100,000)
Mint Royal Mint
Grade PCGS PR 69 DCAM

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-afghanistan-yes-i-know.387802/



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Country Mongolia
Denomination 500 Togrog
Year 2021
Subject Wild Mongolia
Composition Silver 0.925
Weight (gr) 31.1
Diameter (mm) 38.61
Mintage 2,500
Mint CIT (Liechtenstein) & B.H Meyer Mint (Munich)
Grade PCGS PR 69 DCAM



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As an addendum to my set of former Soviet Union nations, I've decided to include some related disputed territories. Some are more difficult (and more expensive) to find than others so the current crop might be all. A few of these have been placed in my own ddddd/u1toning slabs to add a little extra entertainment.

Here is a link to thread with more details on each of the following "coins":
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/starting-the-disputed-territories-set.378075/

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Moldova segment



Country: Transnistria
Coin: European wildcat (Forest Cat)
Face value: 1 Ruble
Year: 2020
Composition: steel with nickel-plated
Diameter (mm): 22
Mintage: 50,000



Country: Gagauzia
Face value: 10 Para
Year: 2018
Composition: Aluminum
Diameter (mm): 24 mm
Mintage: Unknown



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Azerbaijan segment

Country: Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)
Coin: Cheetah
Face value: 1 Dram
Year: 2004
Composition: Aluminum
Diameter (mm): 21.7
Mintage: unknown


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Georgia segment

Country: South Ossetia
Face value: 2 Rubles
Year: 2013
Composition: Bimetallic: brass center in copper plated steel ring
Diameter (mm): 28 mm
Mintage: Unknown



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Others

Country: Kurdistan
Face value: 10 Dinars
Year: 1424 (2003)
Composition: Copper-nickel
Diameter (mm): 38.6 mm
Mintage: 4,700 (some sources say 10,000 were authorized)

 

Leaving a comment so I don't forget about the thread.

Your Kazakhstan Homeland of Apples is incredible. I find the contrast between obv. and rev. incredibly beautiful as far as modern coins go.

The heavily armed warrior is also another one I find myself particularly attracted to.

 

Kyrgyzstan wins. Waiting for Mongolia, before final choice.

 

I just updated Mongolia (2021 Mystic Wolf)

 

I love the series. I, now, have 3 of them. They are very attractive, and extremely uncommon coins, with low mintages. Frankly, they are nicer than anything the US mint has come up with in over 20 years. Beautiful Collection!

 

Final Winner: Kyrgyzstan!!!

 

Thanks! The apples of Kazakhstan and grapes of Armenia make a nice pair too (unintentional to some degree in me acquiring two fruit coins).

I also find that the contrast between the gilded proof and reverse proof of the Apple coin helps add to the eye appeal.

 

It's definitely a cool one!

Check out this thread for the 2016 version (it was a two coin series of Lightly and Heavily Armed Warriors);
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ddddd-ex-soviet-nations-set-kyrgyzstan.388160/

 

Thank you! I also find these more interesting than the majority of modern US coins (and that is why more of my collection is focused on world along with some classic US).

 

I read it the other day. Impressive.

 

For those following along, Ukraine has been updated.
For those seeing this for the first time, welcome to the thread.

 

I’m not much into moderns, but this is much more interesting than the overpriced bullion from Niue and other “countries of convenience” stamped onto privately issued coins. The designs are unique to the countries of issue and some of them have extremely low mintages. The Ukrainian one is my favorite. I also like the disputed territory ones. I have a couple from Pridnestrove but yours is the first I’ve seen from Ossetia.

 

I'm more open to moderns (even some from Niue, Palau, etc) but I agree with you that I prefer these that are unique to the countries. Besides the Russian example (part of their Lunar series-which isn't something you really associate with Russia), the others all feature some aspect that is emblematic of the country.

As for the Ukraine (mentioned this on the thread for it), it's actually one of the first I had from this set but I just got to posting it today. I bought it at an ANA show (I'm fairly certain in 2014) and Ukraine actually sent reps there (so it was almost like acquiring it directly from the mint).

The Ossetia one is more of a fantasy piece (where the Transnistria is semi-official-it's a commemorative that can technically be used) but I still thought it deserved to be included. Other fantasy pieces that I saw, I excluded because those weren't really disputed territories by my understanding (for example, there is a series of Russian North Pole fantasy coins).

 

What are the best sources for buying these coins? Even modern Russian issues seem hard to come by on EBay other than BIN’s with inflated prices.

 

It's certainly not easy to find and I don't have a great source. These came from a variety of places: the Ukrainian coin from mint reps at the ANA show, some from eBay, and some from Great Collections. On eBay, the best deals tend to come when someone places a coin in a no reserve auction as there can be periods when the right person isn't looking and it goes for less. But that is not always the case. The Azerbaijan coin is actually one I lost via auction and a few months later purchased for less via buy-it-now (the seller looked to be clearing out his collection as he had several coins priced at below their prior auction result).

The reason it has been a challenge on a few of these countries is because the only available coins have inflated prices. There are quite a few Turkmenistan coins on eBay but all are $200+ (I've contemplated picking one up but just can't justify paying that much for now). There is also one I somewhat regret not bidding more strongly on: an Uzbekistan PCGS graded coin with a starting bid of 115. I was hoping to win it at the first bid but someone else came in and sniped it at the end. I have not seen another graded Uzbekistan coin since for that same price level (I actually saw that same one offered by the winning bidder for $500).

 

Two more updates to the composite thread have been added (Moldova and Latvia) and four more are left (Georgia, Lithuania, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). Three of those remain a challenge while Lithuania is easier (but I'm waiting on the right example).

 

You can send me that Tajikistan - I'll keep it safe for you