Coin siberian: riddles and secrets

Ancient coins are not only an object of interest to collectors-numismatists, they are a part of human culture. And some are unique because they are historical artifacts that hide many secrets. Among these are the Siberian coin.

General information

These copper coins were issued during the reign of Catherine II relatively shortly - from 1763 to 1781 - and were circulated exclusively on the territory of the Siberian province, which at that time was officially called the Kingdom of Siberia. These coins were minted from copper, mined at the Kolyma mine owned by Demidov. But they were not released there, but on a specially constructed plant on the Nizhny Suzun River.

The Siberian coin, which had six denominations (a half-money, a money, a penny, 2, 5 and 10 kopecks), is very different from the similar copper money that was in circulation at that time in the Russian Empire.

Distinctive features

First, in appearance, the Siberian coin did not correspond to the standards then accepted. On its obverse, instead of the double-headed eagle of the Russian Empire, a somewhat simplified, incomplete coat of arms of the Siberian kingdom is depicted: two sable, which rose to the rear, holding a shield with denomination and date of issue. Above the shield is the crown (but not the Russian imperial one), and the inscription along the rim: "Siberian coin".

The reverse is more consistent with the usual - on it the monogram of Catherine with the Latin number II surrounded by a wreath. True, traditional laurel branches are complemented by spruce. And one more detail: under the monogram the letters "K" and "M" are "Kolyvan copper".

Secondly, Siberian copper coins are lighter than all-Russian ones. This is explained (at least according to the official version) by the composition of Kolyvan copper, in which silver was present (therefore it was more expensive), hence, coins are lighter. If from the pood of conventional copper, trifles were minted for 16 rubles, then from Kolyvan - for 25 rubles.

Thirdly, the coin has a corrugated, or, as the numismatists say, a cord, a mouth, characteristic at that time exclusively for silver money. In 1763 and 1764, samples were produced even with an inscription on the edge, which is quite surprising for copper.

That's what the Siberian coin "penny" looked like.

History of the coin: the official version

In order to understand what is involved in such a strange kind of Kolyvan, or rather Suzun, coins, let's turn to history. According to the official version, there were two reasons for the start of issuing Siberian money.

Firstly, a considerable stock of copper accumulated in the Kolyvan factories, which remained after the smelting out of copper ore silver. Due to the shortcomings of the technological process, a significant percentage of the precious metal still remained in these "wastes". And Catherine II submitted a report with a proposal to mint money from this copper.

Secondly, it was unprofitable to transport this raw material to St. Petersburg and even Yekaterinburg coin mills, as well as to deliver ready-made coins to Siberia. It was easier to organize the coinage on the spot. In this regard, the Empress Catherine II in November 1763 signed a decree on the release of Siberian coins.

It would seem that everything is logical. But in this version there is no explanation for the strange kind of copper money, nor for a short time of their coinage.

Secrets of Copper Coins

The first of the riddles lies in the very history of the Russian Empire of those times. The Siberian coin was issued exactly during the period of the Siberian kingdom, which existed from 1764 to 1782. It was then that the Siberian province was renamed an imperial decree to the kingdom with the right to chase its own money. So, perhaps, it's not about the abundance of copper and the high cost of its transportation, but in this? But the reason that prompted the Empress Catherine to grant such rights to the Kingdom of Siberia, and then - in less than 20 years - to abolish it, is unknown to this day. Since 1782, the mint on Nizhniy Suzun has already produced ordinary copper coins that went through the territory of the entire Russian Empire.

The second of the riddles is connected with the weight of the Kolyvan currency. According to the official version, the reason for the lower weight was the composition of copper. But modern researchers, for example IG Spassky, are convinced: the Siberian coin does not contain silver and does not differ in composition from those that were produced in St. Petersburg. Especially since the first samples of 1763-1764 were minted there.

The reason for limiting the circulation of coins exclusively by the territory of Siberia (from the Irtysh to Kamchatka) is not clear, although it is known that in trade with Asian countries they were widely used. And if you take for the truth the official version of the special composition of copper, the Siberian coin would be attractive for business people in the center of Russia. And otchekanili this money for 18 years a lot - more than 3.5 million rubles.

Silver Siberian money: original or fake?

Despite the fact that the Siberian coin was minted from copper, among the numismatists there are steady rumors about the existence and silver Siberian money. Silver coins with denominations of 10 and 20 kopecks are found in collectors who are convinced of their authenticity, photographs of such samples can be seen on numerous information resources of the relevant subjects.

What did the silver Siberian coin look like? A photo depicting its reverse and obverse is shown below.

However, the researchers consider these coins to be fakes, since there are no historical documents on the existence of silver Siberian money. And there was no sense in their release, if one of the goals of the coinage was the need to use the copper that had accumulated at the Kolyvan plant.

Therefore, according to experts, silver Siberian coins that impress collectors are a remake. In history, there was not even a draft of their coinage.