Poltina - Peter I

The poltina — half a ruble — was one of the denominations Peter I introduced as part of his sweeping monetary reform beginning in 1698, which replaced the old wire-cut kopeck system with Western-style milled coinage. The years 1718–1722 represent a period of ongoing refinement at the Moscow and St. Petersburg mints, where equipment and skilled workmen had been imported directly from Western Europe to achieve the consistent, round flans Peter demanded.

KM#156 encompasses several distinct die varieties across the emission years, and attribution to a specific mint can hinge on subtle differences in the mintmaster's initials beneath the bust.