Kopeck

The kopeck or kopek[a] is or was a coin or a currency unit of a number of countries in Eastern Europe closely associated with the economy of Russia.

The Russian kopeck is also used in two regions of Georgia, and the partially recognised states (including by Russia) of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In the past, several other countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union had currency units that were also named kopecks.

From the 1540s on, the horseman bore a crown; doubtless the intention was to represent Ivan the Terrible, the grand prince of all Russia until 1547, and tsar thereafter.

Subsequent minting of the coin, starting in the 18th century, instead bore Saint George striking down a serpent with spear, hence kopek from kop'yo (копьё).