Poltina - Anna

Anna Ioannovna's reign produced some of the most administratively chaotic coinage in Russian imperial history. The poltina — a half-ruble denomination with roots stretching back to Muscovite accounting units — was struck across multiple St. Petersburg dies during these years, and the series is complicated by significant variation in bust type and die alignment. Anna herself had been selected by the Supreme Privy Council in 1730 under conditions intended to limit her power; when she tore up the limiting articles publicly, the mint's output became one of the more visible symbols of reasserted autocratic authority.

KM#196 encompasses several recognized sub-varieties. Collectors working this series without reference to Bitkin's Russian coin catalog frequently underestimate the type complexity.