Several years ago, the subject of discussion was two varieties of a coin with a nominal value of 20 kopecks in 1990. According to authoritative numismatists, along with the ordinary “white” twenty-kopeck coin, there is another coin minted from the same copper-nickel alloy, only with a large copper content.
Coins of various denominations minted "from a different metal" were very often issued between 1989 and 1991. Moreover, each new batch was significantly different from the previous one all for the same reason - an unequal amount of copper. In this regard, some coins have a characteristic yellowish sheen, while others cast a "whiteness".
20 kopecks in 1990: especially valuable “crossroads”
“Crossroads” (this definition came from the word “mix up”) numismatists call metal money, which was put into circulation, despite the presence of a manufacturing defect. The mistakes made by the minters did not affect the price characteristics of the coin, and for the inexperienced numismatists of the consumer, the differences were purely visual. The most common causes of a “junction” are listed below.
- The obverse of the coin was stamped with another coin. For example, it is known that some coins of 20 kopecks in 1990 were minted with a stamp for 3 kopecks. This party “junction” can be recognized by the absence of some awns in the spikelets and the arched imprint of the Gulf of Guinea, depicted on the obverse.
- The coin was made using "alien" blanks. The twenty-copeck coin of 1990, printed on metal blanks intended for minting three kopecks, stands out against the background of "relatives" thanks to a noble copper shine.
- The image on the reverse of the coin with respect to the obverse is applied “upside down” (the so-called “changeling”).
The second type of "junction" (confusion with metal) is today considered the most rare and expensive instance and is estimated at twenty thousand rubles. The “Changeling coin” was once estimated at two thousand rubles.
The price of the hype
At the end of 2015, one of the numismatic forums launched a real PR campaign for cleaning Soviet coins.
The following methods were proposed as options:
- processing of coins by means of organic solvents - acetone or gasoline for filling lighters;
- immersion of metallic money in vinegar (stand for half an hour, then wipe dry).
In the end, the debaters came to a unanimous opinion. The “junction” for metal, even if it has been lying in the “company” of standard metal coins for less than twenty-five years, should visually stand out against their background.
Technical varieties of the original coin
It is known that coins of 20 kopecks in 1990 minted two coin houses at once. Using different types of stamps. Therefore, two coins of the same color and value may differ from each other (of course, if different stamps were used for their manufacture).
For the minting of coins of one variety, a stamp with thin and narrow letters was used. The second type is distinguished by the breadth and massiveness of the font.
There is also a third kind of twenty-copeck coins, put into circulation in 1990. The main difference between this batch of metallic money from the two previous ones is that there are letters that are characteristic of both types - both narrow and wide.
Description of the layout of a standard coin made of copper-nickel alloy
A coin of 20 kopecks in 1990 was minted at once by two mints - Leningrad and Minsk. The diameter of the standard instance is 22.8 millimeters, and its thickness is 1.5 millimeters. The edge along the entire circumference is dotted with vertical notches. The standard coin weighs almost 3.5 grams.
At the bottom of the obverse is the name of the country (in this case, the abbreviation "USSR"). The central part of the coin is occupied by the emblem of the Soviet Union - a sickle and a hammer against the background of the globe illuminated by the rays of the rising sun, framed by bread ears twined with ribbons. In the place where the tops of the upper spikelets meet, a five-pointed star is clearly visible.
A significant part of the reverse is occupied by the number 20. Along the lower border of the coin are the numbers “1990” - the year the coin was put into circulation. Between the denomination and numbers is the word "cents". To the left and to the right, the edges of the reverse are decorated with wheat spikelets - one on each side. The lower half of the ears is framed by oak leaves.