2 Kopecks - Aleksandr I ЕМ

The ЕМ mint mark denotes the Ekaterinburg Mint in the Urals, which by the early nineteenth century was the dominant source of Russian copper coinage — its proximity to the copper-rich Ural Mountains made it structurally cheaper to operate than the St. Petersburg facilities. Alexander I's early copper issues were struck under the monetary framework inherited from Paul I, who had dramatically altered coin weights in 1796 to restore a heavier copper standard. The Ekaterinburg operation ran on waterpower from the Iset River, and output interruptions in winter months are reflected in uneven annual mintage figures across this three-year window.