Need help with Russian Denga (1736)

If you know anything about 18th century Russian coins, please take a
look at the following pics:
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736a.jpg
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736b.jpg

Sorry about the slightly blurry pics. I think they're still useable.

In my 18th century SCWC, it matches the design on page 831: C#2, "Denga"
(1/2 Kopek) from the Russian Empire. However, this one is dated 1736,
and C#2 doesn't start until 1743. The 1736 coin (KM#188) has a
different reverse design.

Is the book wrong? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

Additional data: It weighs roughly 7.5 grams, is 25 mm in diameter, and
appears to be made of copper.

Thanks in advance...

--
Jim Seymour

"Jim Seymour" wrote in message
...
If you know anything about 18th century Russian coins, please take a look
at the following pics:
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736a.jpg
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736b.jpg

Sorry about the slightly blurry pics. I think they're still useable.

In my 18th century SCWC, it matches the design on page 831: C#2, "Denga"
(1/2 Kopek) from the Russian Empire. However, this one is dated 1736, and
C#2 doesn't start until 1743. The 1736 coin (KM#188) has a different
reverse design.

Is the book wrong? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

Additional data: It weighs roughly 7.5 grams, is 25 mm in diameter, and
appears to be made of copper.

Your edition of the SCWC carries with it baggage from the Craig catalog,
which saw its 3rd (and last) edition in 1976. Craig began his catalog at a
logical starting point, usually the reign of a monarch closest to
mid-century. In the case of Craig #2, it was Elizabeth, 1741-61. When KM
came along they noticed that very similar coins were struck in the 1730-1741
period. For a while at least, they kept KM188 and C2 separate, but finally,
as they now do in the 3rd edition of the 18th century SCWC, combined them
under a single number, KM188. The bottom line is that, since these dies
were all handmade, they are all different, and the case could be made that
there should be a separate type and number for each date! At least KM
hasn't bought into that. At the end of the text for KM188 they include the
magic words, "Varieties exist." If you had an entire date run of KM188 you
would see that they are similar, but all different, kind of like early U.S.
coppers.

James

"Jim Seymour" wrote in message
...
If you know anything about 18th century Russian coins, please take a look
at the following pics:
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736a.jpg
http://www.thentao.com/Russia1736b.jpg

Sorry about the slightly blurry pics. I think they're still useable.

In my 18th century SCWC, it matches the design on page 831: C#2, "Denga"
(1/2 Kopek) from the Russian Empire. However, this one is dated 1736, and
C#2 doesn't start until 1743. The 1736 coin (KM#188) has a different
reverse design.

Is the book wrong? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

Additional data: It weighs roughly 7.5 grams, is 25 mm in diameter, and
appears to be made of copper.

Thanks in advance...

--
Jim Seymour

In essence, yes, the book is wrong. Collectors of Russian coins generally
prefer the "Russian Coins 1700-1917" by V. V. Uzdennikov, which is much more
concise with varieties of coins. It is generally easy to find a volume on
the internet for sale, and it is in Russian and English.