Link

This is an example that I have seen over the net. I am guessing this is a planchet trial? Looks fake to me as I have seen other planchets and they all seem to be minted in nickel alloy, which is what you see in the typical latter Soviet era coins.






EDIT: Something small added to the Topic Description.

-Tane

Nice price for what he says is "probably replica".

This is a fake of well known etalons; those were used to adjust wending machines to accept coins of proper weight (size).

WCO

WCO, I have to ask an extreme dumb question as well as being an off topic question.

Where exactly can you find a vending machine in Russia?! I never found one except one coffee vending machine in Sheremetyevo and another one in a police station. Another possiblity is the token machine in St. Petersburg (you use cards in Moscow) but otherwise, I don't remember seeing any vending machines there!

In 1960's it was beginning of era of muss usage of vending machines in Russia. There were many kinds of vending machines. For instance glass of seltzer water cost was back then just 1 Kopeck and 3 Kopecks with syrup. This kind of machines was put on near every crossroad of every large street in Moscow, Leningrad and other large cities. Another kind was used to sell local tickets on train stations. That kind was accepting 10,15,20 Kop. coins, i.e. etalons could be used for that kind of machines. Another kind was accepting 50 Kopecks to sell sunflower oil in large stores.

Since machines that sold seltzer water did not use disposable plastic cups (someone had to wash up a glass cup after previous user), they came to a logical end in 1980's and 1990's. Most were demolished. With local train ticketing machines, technology changed, plus instead of kopecks due to inflation came thousands and even millions of rubles. Paper money were used instead of coins. With oil selling machines same thing. Who would buy not a bouttle (gallon, canister) of oil but by weight our days? Just a few years ago someone had to pay 10 centimeters of money to buy a chocolate bar.

WCO

As far I know the etalons was used by mint for coincidence weight to regular struck coin, but not for wending machines. Correct me if I wrong.

Rarenum

I never saw any reference on these, but years ago I heard these are for testing vending machines. That is why for each denomination was made 4 etalons. While vending machine should reject the two most extreme etalons, it should dearly accept the two etalons in the middle of acceptable range.

Several pieces are for sale here:

http://molotok.ru/catalog/lot/12955748

I am not even sure that these are made at any Russian mint, may be at some P.O. Box that manufactured vending machines. However, if someone knows more on the issue I would be glad to hear the story.

WCO

P.S. Looked some more and found confirmation to my words: http://molotok.ru/catalog/lot/12770203

It said (translating from Russian): "Etalons of this kind were used to test vending machines"

WCO - I have been searching about these and this is what I concluded:

Appearently the earliest dates of these are from 1962 and probably went up to 1966. The only denominations I have seen of this series are of the nicupro coinages and none of the bronze coins, i.e. 1,2,3,5 kopeks. Maybe because anything greater than 10 kopeks at that time were very valuable? It must be I guess.

Here is an old list from the auction site conros: http://tender.conros.ru/rezsept2005.html

I have images of the rest except for the ruble.

Ironically I was seriously hunting down for vending machines while I was in Russia. I find vending machines much fun as in my past experience, people have a tendency to use "odd" or commemorative coins. The only fun part I had was at Izmailovsky park with coins since I could never find coins older than 1997 in circulation. (well duh, I was too dumb not to figure out Russia had economic crisis back then). You could imagine how excited I was when I found out my Gagarin coin set in circulation. (and it became a serious Russian coin hoarder bug )

I remember in the '80s in underground stations exchange machines were you can put 10, 15, 20 kopeks coins to obtain 5 kopeks pieces used for entry to the track... and i remember my ever first use of a vending machine (it was in 1980): for gazirovanaia voda... I was amazed at that time how nobody stole the glass...
Even today, here in Romania does not exist other vending machines except coffee and tea. No condoms, no cigarettes, no chocolate or beer like in Germany for example.

I must say that the font of the "1962" of the piece looks much more like that used on Bulgarian coins than on Russian pieces.

Maybe there is something about it in this page?

My Russian isn't good enough for me to understand it throughly

http://russiancoins.by.ru/token.htm

Yes. Here is important text on the page.

Рассматриваемые эталоны по своим параметрам соответствуют монетам СССР достоинством 10, 15, 20, 50 копеек и 1 рубль образца 1961 года. Различаются эталоны годом выпуска (эталоны без указания даты относятся к 1961г), а внутри года - маркировкой, состоящей из одной буквы и одной цифры. БУКВЫ "П" и "Н" обозначали, является данный эталон "проходным" или "непроходным", то есть должен был сработать автомат или нет при опускании этого эталона.

Эталоны использовались вплоть до реального прекращения работы автоматов, принимающих в качестве оплаты манеты образца 1961 года. В связи с большой инфляцией после с либерализации цен в 1992 году дальнейшая эксплуатация таких автоматовстала невозможной, от пала необходимость и в эталонах для их настройки.
В последнее время, однако, различные торговые и игровые автоматы вновь вышли на улицы российских городов. Очевидно, для них должны существовать и свои эталоны, но никакой информации по этому вопрсу нет.

Letters "H" and "P" on etalon meant "non allowed" and "allowed". So machine should accept etalons with letter "P" and reject with "H". Those etalons were used untill coins of type of 1961 were in use. Not in use since 1992. Denominations 10, 15, 20, 50 Kop. and 1 Ruble.

WCO

Good one, banivechi.

I remember though how many local alcoholics were taking those glasses to use for vodka. Were drinking not far from those machines, 3 people from same glass, eating cheese "Druzhba". Big problem with the wending machines for seltzer water was that cups were often stolen.

WCO

A trip down the memory lane...
I remember in the late 60th in my local candy store they installed a candy machine. For 5 kopeks you could get one 'botonchik' soy candy. Hmmm, seems kind of expensive now, looking back. Maybe it was 2 or 3 kopeks. Later these machines disappeared.
Also, in the late 70th vending machines were quite popular in post offices.

When I was in Russia, especially in larger cities, vending machines were pretty common in downtown areas. The most prevalent were the Limonada machines, incredibly a glass was used in the machine, which before you got the lemonade you washed out. I think the drinks were something like 15 or 20 Kopeks. I was not adventurous enough to ever use these machines, no matter how thirsty I was. Somehow the lack of sanitation on the wash cycle of the glass bothered me. I stuck to drinking Nashtoika, Vodka, Pivo, and Mineralnye Voda.

What ... no kvas?!?

I recon an old time joke of the Russian and American space cooperation. A kosmonaut and an astronaut were surprised at vending machines: an American one did accept coins but had free disposable plastic cups. A Russian one was free of charge operating by a push of the button but it had the glass chained to the machine.

Another joke: Space contest... Russians landing on Moon and painted it in red. Next week, Americans landing on moon and write: Coca Cola.

[uh-oh, this might be getting a bit off-topic]

A trip down memory lane indeed.

1 kopeika plain soda, 3 kopeiki with syrup.

Curiously enough I never had Kvas in Russia, I only have had it in America. And I actually like it, especially in the summer. It is a very unique tasting beverage, some would say you need to acquire the taste.

Right! And a Pepsi or Fanta at that time costs 35 kopeks...

Never saw them, where I was, Coke or Sprite was imported from Singapore or somewhere, and it was about 60 Rubles a can!