USSR 10 kopeek 1948-1957 (KM 118 and 123)

[FosseWay]

In my copy of KM (2002) there are two rare mule variants listed for 1956 and 1957, where the reverse of each has been swapped - see scan.

Is there any difference in the reverse of these two issues? If so, can someone tell me what it is, as I can't see it! The obverse, on the other hand, has a clear difference - 14 vs. 15 ribbons on the national arms (as a result of the Karelian SSR being reabsorbed into the RSFSR in 1956).

Or is this just an error in KM? Do they actually mean that there is a variant with the date 1956 but the 14-ribbon obverse, and then a variant dated 1957 with the 15-ribbon obverse?

[Figleaf]

The hammer and sickle emblem is in a wreath of ears of wheat bound together by a ribbon. The number of loops the ribbon makes is different on different series. They represented the number of administrative regions in the Soviet Union. On Y 118 there are 8 loops on the left, 7 loops on the right part of the wreath. On Y 123, there are 7 loops of the ribbon on both sides. Dates 1956 and 1957 exist in both varieties, presumably due to muling. KM got its obverses reversed, or the other way around.

Peter

[FosseWay]

Yes, I realise that - as I wrote...  Problem is that all the stuff with hammers, sickles and ribbons is on the obverse. KM seems to think there's some difference in the reverses of these issues, but I am inclined to think this is an error and that it is the number of ribbons on the obverse that is important. I just wanted confirmation of this.

[chrisild]

Have I said "obverse, shmobverse" lately?   After all, there is no single rule that would apply to each coin in the world. So maybe the USSR used one definition or rule while the KM catalog uses a different one. As long as the description and the images show what they mean, I am fine with that ...

Christian