According to the invoice inside, I bought a little pamphlet Russian Wire Money by Frank A. Lapa in early 1996. At the time I only collected ancient coins so I put it away in a box in the attic and forgot it. What I forgot included five wire coins in paper envelopes taped to the inside cover of the pamphlet. While looking for another book I remember buying and can't find, I happened upon the Wire Money book and decided to get it out now that I have expanded my interests to include medieval coins. These are still too recent to really fit my current interests but their style of manufacture is a few centuries older looking than their 16th-17th century dates. Perhaps more interesting is the degree of tone on these coins after spending 14 years in a hot attic sandwiched in a acidic paper booklet in a box with other non archival materials. Most of the wire coins you see offered for sale look like they have been recently cleaned. These don't. It is amazing how the mind works. I can't remember buying the book and only vaguely recall buying the coins but had no idea where they were. I can remember details of Roman history with no problem but not where I put something for 14 years. Wire silver are still cheap if you stick to the common ones like these five but can get very expensive if you venture into the rarities. All are on small flans with most missing some part of the design that makes me not want the coin. These strike me as better than average. They were made by the millions until Peter the Great modernized the Russian currency and issued silver Rubles worth 100 of these little things. Does anyone collect them?
Many Russian collectors to collect these coins. This is the silver kopeks. We are call it "a scales", because it"s very small & thin.
They look very interesting to me! I don't know anything about them though, like even how to Identify them. I can barely even make out letters on some of those you posted. Great story, however! Like a hidden treasure. It's funny that for you, being 16th or 17th century, they are too new for your collection. For me, if they were mine, they would likely all rank in the top 10-15 in the oldest list, albeit on the lower half as I do have five ancients. (My top 10 currently ends at 1816, and just had a new addition-1765-earlier this week!)
Very cool, I bought one a while back at the coin shop for US$1. I find them quite interesting.... can anyone help me identify mine, I know nothing of it... it's in pretty poor condition with some flat spots, but maybe one of you guys can tell....
The obvious feature on this kopeck is the two line mintmark under the horse MOC/KBA showing the coin was made in Moscow. I believe the letters match up with the top half of those used by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich 1645-1676. His coins tend to be more elongated oval than most and crude is normal. I believe these are not among the most common (if I am right on the ID). This coin appears to be silver but this Tsar is best known for trying to save his silver and make people accept copper wire coins. In addition to being crude, they were red copper. It did not go well and resulted in the Copper Riot of 1662: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_Riot I don't have a silver of his but attach a copper image.
