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10 Kopecks - Alexander I Pattern, countermarked of 5 Kopecks of Ekaterina II
| Issuer | Imperial Russian Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1809 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Within a wreath of laurel and oak branches surmounted by an imperial crown, the interlaced cyrillic monogram of Emperor Alexander I appears in the central field, itself topped by a small crown. Date numerals flank the lower portion of the monogram. The overall design derives from an earlier Catherine II 5 Kopecks host coin, upon which the new countermark has been applied. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A crowned double-headed imperial eagle dominates the central field, with wings spread and heads facing outward, flanked by the mint initials in the lower field. The denomination '10 КОПѢЕКЪ' and the date '1809' are inscribed within the body of the eagle in two lines, with a partial circular legend from the original host coin visible around the periphery. |
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| Additional information |
This piece belongs to a broader 1809 recoinage program under Alexander I, during which earlier Catherine II copper was systematically withdrawn and countermarked to new face values rather than fully remelted — a cost-saving measure driven by chronic copper shortages and the financial strain preceding Russia's entanglement in the Napoleonic conflicts. The countermark itself is the policy made physical: the state asserting new value over old metal without the expense of a full mint run.
Bit#700 identifies this as a pattern rather than an issued piece, meaning it was struck for approval, not circulation. Few survived bureaucratic review.