Stalin's Death Sentence Coins popular Box of 4 Russian Silver Coins

Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) is arguably the most
prolific mass murderer in history. As many as
30 million people in the former Soviet Union
died as a result of his brutality. Historians
recently discovered a copy of his orders to
execute innocent cashiers to further his goal of
confiscating and melting all circulating silver
coins. This set of coins includes four that
survived.

In 1930, in the midst of an economic crisis, Stalin
decided that all hard-currency silver coins in circulation
would be replaced by base-metal copper/nickel coins.
This met with resistance, as people began to hoard the
silver coins, and the bankers responsible for their
confiscation were not as successful as Stalin expected. To
motivate the collectors, he went to his get-to strategy for
problem solving: mass murder.

“The results of the battle against the coin shortage
are almost nonexistent,” Stalin wrote to his protégé,
V.M. Molotov. The agents “probably clamped down on a
few cashiers and let it go at that... It is thus important to
a) fundamentally purge the Finance [Ministry] and
Gosbank (Central Bank) bureaucracy. b) Definitely shoot
two or three dozen from these [bureaucracies], including
several dozen common cashiers; c) continue [Secret
Police] operations throughout the USSR that are aimed
at seizing” the silver.

Stalin's cold-blooded strategy worked. These coins
are among the few, rare survivors of this period. The
Soviets never again issued a circulating silver coin.

COINS:
Tsarist regime, 1867-1917.

Obverse: Crowned double imperial eagle, ribbons on
crown; Reverse: Crown above value and date within
wreath.
• 10 Kopeks. Weight: 1.79g; ASW: 0.0289; Diameter:
17.4 mm
• 15 Kopeks. Weight: 2.7g; ASW: 0.0434; Diameter:
19.7mm

Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR),
1921-23.
Obverse: Coat of arms; Reverse: Value and date
• 20 kopeks - Weight: 3.6g; ASW: 0.0579; Diameter: 22 mm

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), 1924-30.
Obverse: Revised coat of arms; Reverse: Value and date
• 20 kopeks- Weight: 3.6g; ASW: 0.0579; Diameter:
22mm

Box measures: 4 popular 3/8" X 5 3/8" X 1.25”
Order code: 4RUSSIACNBOX

All coins in each set are protected in an archival capsule
and beautifully displayed in a mahogany-like box. The
box set is accompanied with a story card, certificate of
authenticity, and a black embossed gift box. Image
shows typical coins, not to scale, listed from top to
bottom, then left to right.