3 Kopecks - Alexander II

These copper 3-kopeck pieces were struck during a period when Russia's monetary system was under serious administrative strain. The emancipation of the serfs in 1861 disrupted rural commerce profoundly, and small copper coins like this one bore the brunt of daily transaction demand across a suddenly restructured peasant economy.

The Y#5a.1 designation marks the variety with coin alignment, distinguishing it from the medal-alignment strikes of the same type — a detail that trips up casual collectors more often than it should.