250 Roubles Tupolev Tu-104

Antarctica issues no currency and has no monetary authority — these "250 Rouble" pieces are fantasy coins, produced by private mints and sold directly to collectors under a fictional issuing jurisdiction. The Tupolev Tu-104, the subject here, was the Soviet Union's first operational jet airliner, entering Aeroflot service in 1956 after the British Comet's early disasters temporarily left the field open. It was retired by 1981 following a series of fatal crashes attributed to its sensitivity to turbulence at altitude.