Perhaps one of the oddest and shortest lived kopek after the illusive 1724 1 kopek, this might be one of the bizarre coins to be minted.

While a similar type of such cross, the 5 kopeks series of 1726-1730 was minted in a higher proportions, the 1 kopek series did not see it's days as there were probably too many Peter 1 kopeks floating around the market at that time and probably did not see the need to strike much new 1 kopek coins.

While this coin is denoted as a novodel, whereas the 1729 is denoted as genuine, it might mean that this particular coin was struck later, probably in 1729, using the dies meant for 1728.



A possible reason why this coin was not too popular as this is one of the very few coins that "advertises" the city's name of Moscow, not as Moscow Mint.

Another major reason why this coin was soon given up was because of it's "symetrical design" and hence there are possibilities of rotations of 90, 180 or 270 degrees! In fact, this particular coin together with its 5 kopek brother, must have given enough trouble as there are reports of coins stuck in 45, 135, 225, 335 degrees! (i.e. 45 degrees off)

This is as well one of the most unique coins to have such odd edging:

Interesting

I really like the edge design.

The die rotations you mention seem too regular to be accidental.

Was this one of the mint's security measures to prevent theft by mint workers, or possibly to help identify counterfeits in circulation? A concern about counterfeits would be realistic, especially considering the difference between the intrinsic and face values of the copper coins.

I think the problem with counterfeiting created by the lightweight official coins was one of the main reasons for the devaluation and overstriking of the older copper coins which took place under Anna.