RUSSIA, Tsars of Russia. Ekaterina II Velikaya (the Great), 1762-1796. 2 Kopeks 1763 (Copper, 35 mm, 18.09 g, 12 h), overstruck over 4 Kopeks 1762 of Peter III (Bitkin 21 - 28), Sestroretsk. Crowned monogram of Ekaterina II divides date 17-93 within wreat6. Rev. [ДВЕ•КОПЕЙКИ] St. George slaying the dragon. Bitkin 604 . Rare. Traces of overstriking, light scratches and small deposits, otherwise, fine.


After Peter III was removed from power, his brief reign (5 January 1762- 9 July 1762) left behind a controversial monetary experiment. He had effectively doubled the face value of copper coinage by cutting the weight in half while leaving the denominations unchanged. Catherine II promptly reversed this policy.

As part of the rollback, earlier issues were restruck. 4 Kopeks pieces of Peter III, for example, were overstruck with new dies converting them into 2 Kopeks. The specimen offered here is a compelling witness to that adjustment in value, as clear remnants of the original 4 Kopeks type remain visible.

On the obverse, beneath the monogram, one can still make out the helmeted head of St. George upside down from the earlier design. On the reverse, the former denomination appears upside down, with traces of the word [ЧЕТЫ]РЕ (‘four’ in Russian) still discernible from the undertype.