5 kopecks in 1813, St. Petersburg-PS

The smallest denomination in the range of silver coins minted during the reign of Emperor Alexander I. It complies with national standards for the mass minting of small-denomination silver coins from 1810-1825.

The silver five kopeck piece ("piglet") of Alexander I is the most fragile silver denomination of this era. Due to their tiny weight (just over one gram) and intensive circulation in the daily trading calculations of the population, these coins were erased extremely quickly, as well as massively dying from deformations and aggressive environment. It is a great success for a collector to find an authentic silver nickel from the turning point of 1813 with a fully readable text and without through—the-hole damage to the field.

Silver (868 proof), stamped. Weight 1.04 g. Diameter 15.1 mm. Mint: St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg). The circulation is 1020000 copies. General engraver: Pavel Stupitsyn, Master of Mines (initials "P. S." on the obverse).

Obverse: The Small State Emblem of the Russian Empire is depicted in the center — a double-headed eagle with its wings spread out. The heads of the eagle are crowned with two small crowns, the third (large) crown with a cross is located above. The eagle holds a scepter in its right paw and a power in its left paw. The Moscow coat of arms is placed on the eagle's chest: a shield with the image of St. George the Victorious on a horse, striking a serpent with a spear. The letters of the Mintsmaster are separately stamped under the eagle's paws: on the left — "P", on the right — "S". Under the initials, the date of minting is indicated in a semicircle along the edge — "1813." Along the edge there is a jagged rim.

Reverse: A small imperial crown is depicted in the upper part of the field under the edging. The digital face value of the coin is stamped in the center — the number "5". Under the number there is a one-line inscription indicating the name of the monetary unit: "KOPEK". A thin horizontal dividing line is drawn below. The letters of the St. Petersburg Mint with the dots "S.P.B." are stamped under the line. The composition is surrounded by a semicircular wreath of laurel (left) and oak (right) branches, which are tied with a ribbon in a bow at the bottom.

Edge: Dotted (oblique notch).

Guarantee of authenticity.

Collectible preservation (Very Good / Fine-). The coin has honest signs of a long and active participation in the trade turnover. The relief of the eagle on the obverse, as well as the leaves of the wreath and crown on the reverse, has been noticeably smoothed out by time, and there is a slight natural darkening of the patina on the reverse field (in the upper right part). At the same time, the coin's geometry is correct, round, without bends. The most important thing for such a small denomination is the date "1813", the number "5", the letters of the word "KOPEK" and the abbreviation "S.P.B." are minted deep enough, are not worn and are easy to read.

The year 1813 was a turning point in the history of Russia, marked by the beginning of the Foreign campaigns of the Russian army for the final defeat of Napoleon. The treasury's expenses for providing the army in Europe were enormous. Along with large denominations, the St. Petersburg Mint, under the leadership of Pavel Stupitsyn, produced small silver 5 kopecks of the high 868th grade (containing about 0.9 grams of pure silver). They were extremely important for stabilizing small-scale retail trade within the country and displacing depreciating paper banknotes. Laurel and oak in a wreath traditionally carried the symbols of military victory (laurel) and state power (oak).