Russian "whopper coppers" (5-kopek pieces): huge, fun coins from the 1700s that won't break the bank

I couldn't imagine having to carry all of those around to actually make purchases. I think my pants would be constantly falling down from such heavy pockets.

 

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I bought a couple bulk lots of these in the 90's (maybe from Frank Robinson) and paid about $4-5 each (I have another 5-6 that aren't in the picture). I used to sell the duplicates for $6-7 at my local coin club, so even though the condition isn't as nice as others posted, it turned out to be a very inexpensive collection.

As for being big and heavy, I have them in paper 2x2 envelopes. They don't fit in cardboard 2x2s or saf-flips (I can get them in, but have to cut the flip to get them out ). I also have a number of long 2x2 boxes for storage and it's easy to find the one with the 5 kopeks, even without looking at the label. Just find the one that's significantly heavier than anything else

 

Man, I'd buy these all day long for $4-7!

 

I have only one of these coins:


Russia 5 Kopeks 1779 Catherine II (Catherine the Great)
Copper, 40 mm, 50.01 gm

 

These pictures are great - thank you!

 

Bag full of 5 Kopeks is better than a sock full of nickels any day.

 

Here's mine.

 

I own a couple of dozen of them from various dates and mints. I recently had to re-holder them because as noted they don't fit in 2*2 flips - I'd really like to find coin envelopes to put them in.

I don't believe they jangled in pockets, these were more likely carried in a little cloth sack.

 

I have two of these monster coins. They're so crude that they're neat to own. These started showing up right after the USSR dissolved. They must have been stashed somewhere in Russia. I'm surprised they survived under Stalin and his gang. Does anyone know where they came from? I know they are Russian but, were they in some bank vault or dug up somewhere? Someone had them in a safe place because I don't thing they would have survived.

 

The whole series of these coins are quite crude

 

I bought a single coin case for mine from fleabay

 

I wonder what the buying power of these massive coins was. If I find a contemporary gold or silver ruble, and get current melt value, I arrive at anywhere between $25 and $60.
Idk if that’s a very good way to “convert” old money though

 

Here is my whopper copper:

 

Coin collecting in the USSR was generally frowned upon. If you had gold or silver coins particularly. The authorities generally looked the other way with older especially bronze coins etc. That said I know people that were collecting coins back in the 1980s, even gold and silver.

When I was there I came across people looking to sell the Nicholas II gold 5 rubles coins - wanted dollars only - no rubles. I didn't buy any - concerned about fakes. But I even managed to "sneak" a few older 18th century coins out. Even now it is illegal to export any item over 100 years old out of the country - but like everything in Russia just because it is the law doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

So in essence, it is not legal to export the pyatakii - but they are probably still slipping out of the country - but I am more than sure quite a few are going back to Russia as collecting coins is a whole new thing for people with more disposable income than before - as auction prices of Russian numismatics demonstrate.

 

Oh yes coin collecting seems to be becoming a big thing in russia, they have even started their own grading company now... RNGA... kinda like their slabs to be honest... even found a 5 kopek in one lol...

 

The "fun" thing about slabbing the pyatakii is that they are varying thicknesses, diametres etc. I need to get mine out and take a pic.

 

I'm not going to hijack the thread by posting mine but here is a link to my NGC graded set:

https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/registry/coins/SetListing.aspx?PeopleSetID=196284

These things caught my attention hard and then I got sucked into the registry game. Fortunately, most of these were purchased together in one lot.

Here is one of my favorites. There is a way off-center strike and you can see remnants of a coin that was over-struck.

 

I've noticed the market for Russian coins has been hot for a long time. I suspect it's the Russian's trying to rebuild their history. After being under the thumb of the USSR I'm sure people want to get a piece of the past. Russian coins sell for high prices. There must have been some type of stash of these big coppers. Large numbers of them entered the market in the 90's. Even today you can still find them at a low price.