USSR — Early USSR (1924 — 1958)
The coins of the USSR of 1924–1958 run from the first coins with the arms of the USSR to the last coins before the reform of 1961. Over these years the metals changed, and the arms on the coins were redesigned to follow the number of union republics.
The first Soviet coins came out in 1924. The small change from ½ to 5 kopecks was struck in copper at first and from 1926 in aluminium bronze, which made the coins several times lighter. The 10, 15 and 20 kopecks were .500 silver until 1931, the 50 kopecks and the rouble .900 silver; the rouble was struck only with the date 1924, the 50 kopecks in 1924–1927. From 1931 the 10, 15 and 20 kopecks were made of copper-nickel.
The coin types of this period are told apart above all by the arms: the number of ribbons on the wheat sheaves matches the number of union republics — 7 ribbons on the coins of 1924–1936, 11 on those of 1937–1946, 16 from 1948 and 15 from 1957. The coins of 1958 were struck in large numbers but never officially released.
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