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A commemorative coin of the Saint-Petersburg Mint

		The coin was minted with the help of a special assembly technology allowing fixing one metal in the other without glue; thus the product acquires an original and unique appearance. Metals of various colours may be used for the production. In this case brass (copper and zinc alloy) of two different marks was used. The open-ended insert is made of nickel silver. The proof technology was used for minting the coin. On the front side of the medal, on the smooth background there is a miniature matte image of the buildings of the Saint-Petersburg Mint located in Peter and Paul Fortress, as well as the angel on the spire of Peter and Paul Cathedral. The open-ended insert represents the first coin produced in Saint-Petersburg in 1724, of 1 ruble denomination and called “sunny”. On the front side of the open-ended insert there is an image of Peter the Great and an inscription “PETER I IMPEROR AND AUTOCRAT OF THE WHOLE RUSSIA” along the circumference. On the reverse of the open-ended insert there is a monogram of Peter the Great in the form of a cross of twisted letters “П” under four crowns. There are Roman figures “I” between the crossbars. An image of the sun and the year 1724 are in the center of the cross. There is an inscription “COIN NEW PRICE RUBLE” along the circumference. On the coin reverse is a saying by Peter the Great: “And for the money business to be more profitable, coins in Saint-Petersburg should be minted in the fortress” and the signature “Peter I 1721” below. Riffling is applied to the flank surface (milled edge) of the coin.

Production peculiarities

Special technologies are used in coin and medal production:

1. Application of covert (raster) images appearing and changing when viewed at various viewpoints.
2. The flank surface (milled edge) may be either smooth or with various riffling variants – in sections or spacing. An inscription, a security pattern or relief images may be applied to it. It is possible to combine riffling with the inscription.
3. Commemorative and collection coins and medals are manufactured in proof quality. It is a high quality of coin and medal production allowing to create a smooth background and a matte image. Coins and medals are also manufactured in counter-proof quality, where the image surface is smooth, and the background is matte.
4. Various kinds of miniature images – symbols of companies, gymnasiums and colleges, memorable dates and architectural monuments.
5. Various metals – both precious and non-ferrous – are used for coin and medal manufacture.
6. If necessary, different material combinations may be used in one product. Goznak minted the first coins of palladium of proof quality in the world.

The branches of Goznak enjoy a great potential: the production volume of precious metals products can be from 1 piece to hundreds thousand, and of coins and medals – up to hundreds million pieces. Increase of security makes the product difficult to reproduce, which is very advantageous from the economical point of view, and the existing technologies allow cheapening its production.

Both the customer’s sketches and works of artists and engravers of the Mints may be used for the coin and medal production. The branches of Goznak constantly master technological innovations.

The Mints of Goznak

• The Moscow Mint
• The Saint-Petersburg Mint