10 Kopecks - Nikolai I Pattern, Novodel

Novodels — official restrike patterns produced by the St. Petersburg Mint for collectors and diplomats — occupy a contested place in Russian numismatics. The Imperial Mint produced them well into the late 19th century, often using original or reconstructed dies, which means the "1830" date on this piece tells you little about when metal actually met die. Brekke and Bitkin catalogue these separately precisely because their production circumstances differ fundamentally from currency issues.

At 45 grams in copper, this was never a practical circulation coin. The weight alone disqualifies it.