Polushka — Russian Empire (1855–1859)
1 polushka = ¼ kopecks

Photo: Numista
Non-commercial use only

Special facts

The polushka of 1855–1859 weighing 1.28 grams with a plain rim, after Nicholas I’s 1849 pattern; in 1858 Yekaterinburg issued almost 7 million.

About the period

The coins of Alexander II belong to the time when small change got cheaper: after the Crimean War silver was leaving circulation, and the fineness of the small silver was lowered first to .750 and in 1867 to .500. The 1867 designs — small silver from 5 to 20 kopecks and copper from 1 to 5 kopecks — were struck unchanged until 1917. More about the period “Alexander II”, 1855 — 1881

Coins and banknotes of these years: 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859

Other items of the period

• Polushka (1855–1860) Y# 1
• Polushka (1855–1859) Y# 1
• Polushka (1858–1866) Y# 1
• Polushka (1861) Y# 1
• ¼ kopecks (1867–1881) Y# 7
• Denga (1855–1859) Y# 2
• Denga (1855–1859) Y# 2
• Denga (1859–1867) Y# 2
• Denga (1860–1863) Y# 2
• ½ kopecks (1867–1881) Y# 8
• ½ kopecks (1867–1876) Y# 8
• 1 kopeck (1855–1860) Y# 3
• 1 kopeck (1855–1859) Y# 3
• 1 kopeck (1859–1867) Y# 3
• 1 kopeck (1861–1864) Y# 3
• 2 kopecks (1849–1859) C# 150
• 2 kopecks (1850–1860) C# 150
• 2 kopecks (1859–1867) Y# 4a.1
• 2 kopecks (1860–1863) Y# 4a.2
• 3 kopecks (1849–1859) C# 151
• 3 kopecks (1850–1859) C# 151
• 3 kopecks (1859–1867) Y# 5a.1
• 3 kopecks (1860–1863) Y# 5a.2
• 5 kopecks (1832–1858) C# 163
• 5 kopecks (1849–1859) C# 152