The passion for numismatics seems very profitable only at first glance. In fact, collectors spend fabulous sums on purchasing exclusive coins and are in no hurry to part with them.

Even you can have rare coins! Shake the change out of your pockets and look at it carefully - it is quite possible that it is your penny that numismatists are missing to complete a rare collection of coins.

Determining Value

The age of a coin does not always mean its high value. The true value of a coin depends on several determining factors:

• Image Features
• Coating condition
• Denomination
• Circulation

But the main factor influencing the price is the circulation of a given coin. There are rare copies, the circulation of which did not exceed 1000 pieces.

Moreover, the year of issue does not always affect the rarity - currently they issue such types of coins as commemorative, investment or collectible coins. They are deliberately minted in small quantities, emphasizing the rarity and increasing the value of a given coin.

World records

Based on all of the above factors, numismatists included the rarest coins of the world in the rating list. After reviewing the list of 5 unique specimens, you can be convinced that the rarity and price of a coin does not always depend on its age.

Konstantinovsky ruble

Rare items are rightfully headed by a coin with a face value of 1 ruble, issued in 1825, otherwise known as the Konstantinovsky ruble. On this moment There are only 6 of these copies!

Such a small circulation is explained by the error of coinage: mint Russian Empire prepared in advance stamps for printing coins after the coronation of Tsarevich Konstantin Pavlovich. However, it later became known that he had abdicated the throne in advance, which was taken by Nicholas I.

The circulation was immediately destroyed, but rare items managed to enter circulation in small quantities and survive to this day.

Kopek of Elena Glinskaya

One of the first kopecks of Great Rus', issued in 1535 after the order of the ruler Elena Glinskaya.

The appearance of money is changing - if earlier silver coins were minted with a man with a sword drawn, now rare coins are printed with a horseman striking a snake with a spear. You can still see this pattern now - it adorns the reverse of 50 Russian kopecks.

Five Cents of Liberty

The rarest coin in the United States of America is the five-cent Liberty Head, issued in 1913.

The thing is that until the beginning of the twentieth century, 5 cents were printed with the image of a girl’s face - a symbol of freedom - on the obverse of the coin. But in 1913, a new type of coinage was introduced - with the head of an Indian on the obverse.

The embossing of the girl's profile was then accepted as counterfeiting. The circulation was destroyed, and only 5 rare coins have survived to this day.

190th anniversary of GoZnak

In 2008, the St. Petersburg Mint issued only 50 golden anniversary coins with a face value of 25 thousand rubles in honor of the 190th anniversary of the GoZnak enterprise. The rare coins are made of pure 999 gold and weigh 3 kilograms with a diameter of 120 millimeters.

The interesting thing is that the owner of such a coin can pay with it in any store in the country. But it’s unlikely that anyone will want to part with a product whose cost reaches 3 million rubles.

Coin of 50 thousand rubles

Just such a product made of pure gold weighing 5 kilograms was released in 2010 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Bank of Russia.

Now there are only 50 copies in the world. Rare coins are valued at a minimum of 6 million rubles apiece.

USSR coins

Rare coins of the Soviet period are also characterized by small mintages. Their appearance is due to errors in the development of stamps, the minting of trial runs and their subsequent prohibition for distribution.

Below you can see the rarest coins from the times of the Soviet Union:

• 2 kopecks 1927;

• 20 kopecks 1934;

• 2 kopecks 1942;

• 15 kopecks 1947;

• coins from 1958;

• 10 rubles 1992.

All rare editions are backed up interesting stories. For example, rare coins from 1947 and 1958 had a coat of arms on the reverse with 16 binding ribbons instead of 15.

Many rare editions date back to the period of formation of the USSR as a state and dated back to the 20-30s of the twentieth century. This is understandable - it is impossible to introduce a single official monetary system immediately after the formation of the country. Many copies were trial and were not approved later for various reasons.

And rare coins from the 40s are considered to be wartime antiques. It is known that at the beginning of the war the state's economy was in a deplorable state. The Leningrad Mint restored its work only in 1942 during evacuation.

Only a few hundred 2-kopeck coins were issued that year, and almost all of them were used by soldiers to create homemade lighters. Therefore, the remaining copies of the 2-kopeck coin of those times are very highly valued.

Coins of Ukraine

Rare coins of Ukraine also date back to the period of formation of the State Mint and to the time when the design national currency was under development.

For example, 15 kopecks, issued in 1992 and made of brass, are considered a rare coin. This denomination was never released into circulation.

Rare Ukrainian coins were also issued in the following denominations:

• 1 hryvnia 1992 coin;

• 1 kopeck and 5 kopecks 1994;

• 1 hryvnia 1995 coin;

• 2 kopecks 1996;

• 25 and 50 kopecks 2001.

The rarity of the circulation of these coins may be due to the distinctive mark of the mint, unusual convexity or concavity of the patterns according to the standard, or defects. For example, a defective 50 kopeck coin printed in 1992 is considered a rare coin—their obverse is rotated 180 degrees relative to the reverse.

A similar defect is observed in the iron hryvnia of the same issue.

Coins of Russia

Rare Russian coins are shrouded in mysteries and secrets. For example, an interesting situation arose with coins issued in 2001 - officially in that year the mint did not produce circulation of coins in denominations of 50 kopecks, 1 and 2 rubles. But numismatists find such specimens with amazing frequency.

The same situation applies to 5 rubles issued in 1999 - only one such coin has been found so far. Therefore, numismatists say that for one more found copy of it they are ready to pay a fabulous sum.

Below you can explore rare modern Russian coins:

• 1 ruble 1997;

• 5 rubles 1999;

• 10 kopecks 2001;

• 1 and 2 rubles 2001;

• 2 and 5 rubles 2003.

Rare commemorative coins of 10 rubles issued in 2010 are also considered valuable. They depict the coats of arms of the Perm Territory, the Chechen Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Territory.

In 2014, this series was replenished with coins of 10 rubles with the image of the Sevastopol monument to sunken ships and the outlines of Crimea.

Just by counting your change you may find extremely valuable modern coin. In fact, to increase your chances of success, you need to put in very little effort.

Here are a couple of tips to help you.

1) Study the list of modern rare coins.

In short, the list looks like this:

• 5 kopecks, 1999, SPMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 5 rubles, 1999, MMD - 450 thousand rubles
• 50 kopecks, 2001, MMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 1 ruble, 2001, MMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 2 rubles, 2001, MMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 5 kopecks, 2002, without sign - 8.5 thousand rubles
• 1 ruble, 2002, MMD and SPMD - 6 thousand rubles
• 2 rubles, 2002, MMD and SPMD - 8 thousand rubles
• 5 rubles, 2002, MMD and SPMD - 10 thousand rubles
• 1, 2, 5 rubles, 2003, MMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 1 ruble, 2003, SPMD - 20 thousand rubles
• 2 rubles, 2003, SPMD, - 15 thousand rubles
• 5 rubles, 2003, SPMD - 10 thousand rubles
• 5 kopecks, 2003, without sign - 1750 rubles
• 5 rubles, 2006, SPMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 10 rubles, 2010, “Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug” - 10 thousand rubles
• 10 rubles, 2010, " Chechen Republic" - 5.5 thousand rubles
• 10 rubles, 2010, “Perm region” - 3 thousand rubles
• 1 and 5 kopecks 2011, SPMD - 200 thousand rubles
• 50 kopecks, 1, 2, 5 rubles 2011, SPMD - 150 thousand rubles
• 10, 50 kopecks, 1, 2, 5 rubles 2012, SPMD - 250 thousand rubles
• 1,5,10,50 kopecks and 1, 2, 5 rubles 2014 and 2015 SPMD - 200 thousand rubles

About the top 5 most expensive coins modern Russia you can read and

2) Carry a list with you.

Enter the list of rare coins into your phone or print it out on paper and put it in your wallet.
In addition to the coins mentioned in the list, you can add variations of coins that were “defective” in production; they are also quite expensive. This will help you find rare coins faster. Over time, you may learn the list by heart. Stay tuned for list updates on numismatic sites. Up-to-date information is usually contained

3) Develop a habit.

Just check your change every time you get it in your hands. It only takes a few seconds and the results can be stunning. Keep a special envelope or bag in your wallet in case you discover a rarity. Put coins there that have caused you doubts, so as not to accidentally give them away in the store. Well, if you don’t want to embarrass people, go through the change in your wallet and pockets in the evenings.

4) Carry a small magnifying glass with you.

There are some manufacturing errors, and the mint mark cannot be seen without a magnifying glass. A 5x magnification is usually enough. You can attach the magnifying glass as a keychain.

5) Look for places.

In some stores (usually small ones) they most often sell in small change. They also sell change in kiosks, in Rospechat, in mini-pavilions, and in markets. Visit such places more often. Or change banknotes on buses with conductors.

6) Use cash more often.

Paying by card is fine, but if you are going to find a rare coin, turn the numbers on the plastic into hard cash. Every coin that passes through your hands is like a chance to win the lottery. Don't deprive yourself of the opportunity to win.

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While digging, we come across different coins: by denomination, material, size and condition. The better the preservation, the more pleasant the feeling of the recovered find. Yes, and you can sell it for much more at an auction, and spend the money on equipment or gasoline. Collectors - numismatists also look at the preservation of the purchased coin. The higher it is, the more a larger amount he is ready to part with money in order to get the desired coin for his collection.

At the moment, there are 7 safety categories: G, VG, F, VF, XF, UNC and Proof, but treasure hunters need only three of them - F, VF and XF, since the coin oxidizes in the ground and ends up there from circulation already with traces of walking. Preservation below F is already ardent poop, which you can’t even put in an album, and it’s a shame to throw it away. And the degree of preservation above XF mainly belongs to modern and Soviet anniversaries, in a bag condition, in capsules and holders, as well as minted with polished stamps.

F – good

In my opinion, the most frequently encountered coins. Especially small copper of the latest royal type. In such preservation, coins lie almost everywhere where people lived and worked in the old days. They don’t look very good: worn out from long use, oxidized, scratched and beaten. But you can safely determine the denomination and year. If the coin is not worn out, but is mechanically damaged, it is also classified as F.

VF - very good

Also a frequently encountered save. We can say that coins in verified condition are found on par with fine. The coins found have a worn relief, and in particular small details of the design. It is difficult or impossible to see them. The field is damaged by scratches or small cavities. The bulk of the digging lots are exhibited in this state of preservation.

And here, within one degree of state, there is a gradation. You've probably noticed VF+ and VF-. What are these pros and cons? Due to the large number of coins on display in VF, it is customary to divide them into:

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• Better, but not quite as good as the XF (+);
• The condition is worse, but still better F (-).

XF - excellent

They are the least likely to be caught by a cop. There can be no more than 20 of them per season. And why? Not everywhere there is favorable soil that would ensure careful storage without oxidation - sandy, dry soils, clay. And in the fields there are fertilizers that eat up coins. But even there I managed to find coins in amazing condition.

The coins from the treasure are also mostly in XF condition, as they lay motionless in the vessel for hundreds of years and mostly without direct contact with the ground. They did not come into contact with aggressive substances. And if they are hidden in the wall of the house or in the attic, then their condition will be exactly the same in which they were hidden a long time ago. They will only become covered with a beautiful patina, which will raise the price of such a find.

With experience, any digger will easily determine the degree of preservation of the dug up coins. And even make an approximate assessment of them. I also recommend installing an application on your phone - a catalog or printing it out so that it is always nearby and tells you in more detail about the coins you find.

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A coin is not only a form of money or a piece of metal, but also a valuable object from a historical point of view. For rare original specimens, numismatists are willing to pay colossal sums of money, reaching several million dollars. Collectors who do not have such amounts of money also strive to replenish their collection with unique coins. This is what scammers who have learned to professionally counterfeit metal money take advantage of. For this reason, all numismatists are wondering how to determine the authenticity of a coin.

Making counterfeits

Before you begin to consider methods for making fake coins, you should know the difference between counterfeit coins and counterfeits. Counterfeit coins are made for further use in monetary circulation. Counterfeits are created with the aim of defrauding coin collectors of money. Often, scammers offer fakes as remakes, but in reality there is nothing in common between them. For reference: a remake is a coin minted based on the prototype of the original coin for collecting. In most cases, remakes are minted with original dies.

Sestroretsk ruble - original

In Russia, high-quality production of counterfeit coins began in the seventeenth century. But today, counterfeit production methods have improved significantly, making counterfeit coins very difficult to distinguish from originals. The most common methods of making counterfeits include:

1. Casting: According to this method, the coin casting alloy is poured into special molds that accurately imitate the obverse and reverse of the original coin. The use of electrolysis copying technology makes it possible to produce high-quality counterfeits.
2. Using a new stamp: for minting counterfeit coins, a new stamp is made that copies the design of the obverse and reverse of the original specimen.
3. Production of a galvanoplastic copy: first, copies of the reverse and obverse of the original are made from plastic or plaster. After this, a conductive layer was applied to the finished plates, and copper was deposited on it using the electrolysis method. The plates imitating the obverse and reverse were adjusted to each other and soldered so that the thickness of the counterfeit coin completely coincided with the thickness of the original coin.
4. Refinement: According to this method, an ordinary genuine coin is taken and, with the help of special technologies, the necessary adjustments are made regarding the date, name of the mint, etc. There is also the practice of restoring images and dates.
5. Copy Coining: In this method, the alloy is cast into a die created by laser cutting tools.

Despite the prevalence of cases of counterfeit coins being sold as originals, copies are also in demand among numismatists. For example, coins of Tsarist Russia made of silver, gold or base metal are very popular among collectors. The most sought-after royal coins are associated with the period from the eighteenth century to 1916. For a silver copy of the coin you will have to pay up to three thousand rubles, but a copy made of plain metal will cost a numismatist about 400 rubles.

How to distinguish a fake from the original?

Distinguishing an original coin from a fake is not as easy as it might seem, but all because copies can be of such high quality that even an expert will not be able to immediately determine the authenticity.

Among numismatists, there are ways to independently identify a counterfeit coin. How to check a coin for authenticity without being a professional:

1. If possible, you should take the coin and evaluate the color of its metal and patina (the layer that forms on the surface of the coin over time as a result of oxidation of the metal). It is worth noting that to give coins the effect of antiquity, craftsmen skillfully fake the patina using methods such as baking, painting, smoking with tobacco smoke, etc. It is not difficult to identify a fake patina. Firstly, it will spread across the metal in the form of round spots. Secondly, the patina will be located only on the surface of the coins, while there will be no patina on scratches and abrasions. Bright spots of patina on silver are also a sign of a fake.
2. In good daylight, the entire surface of the coin should be examined. If you can see other metal showing through the abrasions, then most likely the coin is a low-quality Chinese counterfeit.
3. The shine of the metal also requires special attention. If the coin is excessively shiny, this indicates that it was recently made. The dullness of the coin should also alert the numismatist, since it is typical for counterfeit gold coins that do not contain gold, and the dull coating is created by gilding. A bold sheen indicates that a coin purporting to be made from precious metal contains a large number of zinc
4. It is recommended to examine the coin with a magnifying glass. A non-uniform metal surface will indicate that the specimen is a fake.
5. When evaluating cast coins, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the cast coin circle. Ideally, it should have clear outlines, but the presence of a blunt edge, residual bubbles and foreign particles on the surface of the metal indicates that the coin is made of a low-quality alloy.
6. The parameters (diameter and thickness) of the purchased copy should be compared with the parameters of the original coin, if one is available. It is also important to compare the mass of the two coins.
7. You should also evaluate the quality of the small images minted on the coin and compare them with those depicted on the standard.
8. If the authenticity of coins made of silver or gold is being assessed, then you should take one copy and throw it on a hard horizontal surface, for example, a table. When it hits the surface, the precious metal will produce a clear, ringing sound.
9. If a coin consists of a certain two-component alloy, then its authenticity can be assessed using the hydrostatic weighing technique. Its essence is to determine the mass of a coin in air and water. The difference in mass in grams, if 2 originals are compared, will be equal to the volume of the coin being valued. However, if there is a third component in the alloy, then this method is not suitable for determining the authenticity of a coin consisting of a three-component metal alloy.

Every numismatist should also know which coins are most often counterfeited:

• hryvnia 1705;
• 1 ruble 1707;
• 1 ruble 1721;
• 1 ruble 1725;
• 20 kopecks 1764;
• 1 ruble 1834;
• coins of the Soviet period and others.

In order not to fall for the scammer’s bait, a numismatist should know how many originals and remakes of a particular coin exist in the world. You should also avoid buying collectibles from random people. It is recommended to purchase coins from an experienced numismatist, because only in this case can you protect yourself from buying a fake.

If a coin collector finds himself in front of a coin unknown to him, the first thing he does is examine it. Numismatic examination of a coin involves finding out where and when it was minted, at which mint, its denomination, and, if possible, which craftsman made it. To determine all this data, we use various ways, telling you how to identify a coin.

Definition of a coin

Most in a simple way defining a coin is to search for its image or description in the literature. It can be very difficult for inexperienced numismatists to do this; they can spend a lot of time searching without getting anything. If a coin is difficult to identify, then it will be difficult for experienced numismatists.

To limit your search, you need to determine the weight, metal and size of the coin you receive. For example, if a coin is made of gold and its weight is about 3.5 g, then it is most likely a ducat or florin minted no earlier than the mid-13th century. The silver coins, weighing about 4 grams, are pennies that were minted during the same period. Thus, knowing the size, weight and metal of the coin, you can significantly narrow your search and limit it to a few books.

It is also important to pay attention to the features of the coinage. For example, bracteates are single-sided coins that were minted only during a certain period and in certain countries.

Mint

It is important for novice numismatists to understand how to identify the mint of a coin to speed up the process of identifying it. First, you need to find the minting date on the coin, as this will help narrow down the range of mints that operated during that period. Usually near the date or under the denomination of the coin, less often - on the other side of the coin you can see the emblem of the mint or the initials of the master, if it is old enough.

If there is no date, no emblem, or initials of the master on the coin, it is very difficult to determine the mint without sufficient experience in numismatics.

Authenticity of the coin

No less important issue The question is how to determine the authenticity of a coin.

• Since minting coins is quite difficult, counterfeiters usually do not have this technology. They make coins by simply casting metal, so the fine details of the coinage are usually not very clear. Blurring of small details is the first sign of a counterfeit coin.
• Coins of the 18th century are characterized by metal lamination due to corrosion. It is almost impossible to counterfeit, so a coin of this age without signs of foliation should arouse suspicion.
• An equally important criterion for authenticity is the weight of the coin.

For more precise definition To determine the authenticity of a coin, it is best to turn to professionals, as they have special equipment that allows you to find out the necessary details.

Coin value

Every numismatist wants to know how to determine the value of a coin. The easiest way to do this is to search for the coin in the appropriate numismatist catalogs. There is an approximate price for each type of coin. You need to understand that the price will be influenced by the safety of the coin: the better it is, the higher the price.

The market price usually differs significantly from the catalog price, since it is influenced by demand, prices precious metals, coin quality and much more. You can most accurately determine the price of a coin if you find an absolutely similar one that was sold and find out its price.