Russian Wire Money

[Rob]

Can anybody narrow it down to more than the title? Weight is 0.53g. Thanks.

[TomGoodheart]

Vasiliy Ivanovich Shuisky

http://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/tony_fein/60/product/russia_empire__ar_kopek__160610__vasiliy_ivanovich_shuisky_ef/133745/Default.aspx

Edited September 20, 2014 by TomGoodheart

[Rob]

Thanks Tom. Is that the ruler? Looking at my edition of Krause, there is no ruler with this name for Russia in 1606-10. It just says FedorII 1605, Dmitri 1605-6 and Michael I 1613-45. Having said that there is no mention of silver wire money for Russia either for the dates mentioned, only gold. The legend isn't identical either. Confused.

[TomGoodheart]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_IV_of_Russia Vasili IV (22 September 1552 12 September 1612) (Tzar 1606 and 1610) following th murder of Dmitri

I believe the legends vary quite a lot. But I can just make out what I think is BASILEII and NOVI[CH} as it's similar to Greek.

Edited September 20, 2014 by TomGoodheart

[davidrj]

Can anybody narrow it down to more than the title? Weight is 0.53g. Thanks.

0.53g is underweight for a kopeck minted at Pskov should be 0.65 (0.61 - 0.68), Vasili did issue a reduced eight series at 0.56g (0.54 - 0.58) but this was after Pskov had fallen to his rival the False Dmitri II, so these wouldn't have had the Pskov mintmark ПС. Could be a later Swedish or Danish imitation

My only reference in English on these is "Russian Wire Coins 1522-1645" by Dimitry Huletski - but it's pretty poor with dreadful illustrations

[TomGoodheart]

Curiouser and curiouser ...!

[davidrj]

Weight table