20 Kopecks 7 orbits

The "7 orbits" nickname — used by collectors to distinguish this type from the later billon issues — refers to the arc count on the reverse globe design, a detail that became necessary shorthand once the Soviet monetary reform of 1931 replaced silver with cupro-nickel entirely. The 1924 introduction of these coins was part of the broader chervonets stabilization program, the USSR's attempt to build credibility for its currency after the catastrophic inflation of the Civil War years.

Issues dated 1931 are notably scarcer than earlier dates; production was curtailed mid-year as the transition away from silver accelerated under pressure from industrialization priorities competing for metal reserves.