10 Kopecks Trial Strike, A4

Soviet trial strikes of this period were produced at the Leningrad Mint as part of internal evaluation programs exploring alternative compositions and die configurations ahead of the 1961 monetary reform. Lead was among several non-standard metals tested during this process — chosen for its workability and its ability to faithfully reproduce die detail under low striking pressure. Most survivors reached collectors through unofficial channels decades later, as the mint had no formal mechanism for deaccessioning experimental material.

The Ushakov designation Р-2 indicates the second rarity tier in that classification system, placing this among pieces known to exist in small but not singular quantities.