What does spmd mean? From LMD to SPMD. trademark of the mint on coins of the USSR and the Bank of Russia

The first thing a novice numismatist should learn is to identify the mint where the coin was made. This skill will come in handy more than once, because... In many ways, the value of a coin is determined by where it was minted and in what quantity.

You will need

Instructions

Determine the year of issue of the coin

First, determine what year the coin was issued. Mints appeared in Rus' back in the 11th century, but they did not immediately begin to indicate their emblems on coins. Quite often the initials of the master who made the coin were simply indicated. So, look for the minting date on your coin. If you could not find it, but assume that the coin was issued during the times of Tsarist Rus', then in most cases only an experienced specialist can determine the mint. The fact is that before the beginning of the 20th century, about three dozen mints, and often their letter designations coincided. Difficulties will also arise if the coin was issued in Soviet times, because pre-1990 emblem mint it was simply not indicated.

Where to look for the mint emblem?

So, you are convinced that the coin was issued between 1990 and the present, the next step is to find where the emblem of the mint, or the abbreviation of its name, is indicated. On coins from the early 1990s, as well as on modern commemorative coins with a face value of 10 rubles, the mint mark should be looked for directly under the denomination. On coins from 1 to 50 kopecks, the mint emblem is indicated under the left front hoof of the horse, and coins from 1 to 10 rubles have a mark under the paw of a double-headed eagle with right side. Thus, the mint can be indicated on the coin in three places, and inspect them.

A magnifying glass will help you examine the mint mark

What types of emblems are there?

Today there are two mints in Russia - St. Petersburg and Moscow, and they are usually designated by abbreviations. The Moscow Mint has the following abbreviations: M (coins in denominations of 1-50 kopecks), MMD (coins in denominations from 1 ruble). The St. Petersburg Mint is indicated as S-P (1-50 kopecks), SPMD (on coins from 1 ruble), L or LMD (on Soviet-style coins). You can only see abbreviations well with a magnifying glass, but most often it is enough to simply understand the first letter.

What if there is no logo?

If you carefully examined the coin from all sides and did not find the treasured emblem anywhere, this is also a good sign. If there really is no abbreviation, it means marriage. Yes, this happens at the mint too. But do not be discouraged in any case, because due to their rarity, such coins are valued higher than ordinary ones.

Hello, dear readers. In this article we will talk about how to distinguish mints by their designations on coins. Already a novice collector, looking at catalogs, sees that coins of certain years are distributed into the “MMD” and “SPMD” groups. Most limit themselves to looking at the price tags, noting that coins with “S-P” written under the horse’s hoof and “” written under the eagle’s paw are sometimes more expensive than their Moscow sisters. However, those who intend to study the issue deeper should understand that most varieties of the catalog are based on exactly how the initials of the Russian mints are located on the field of the coin relative to other elements of the design.

Designation of mints on coins of modern Russia

After the monetary reform of 1997, both mints were fully engaged in the minting of metal banknotes for cash payments. To mark penny denominations we decided to use mint initials- letters "M" and "S-P". They decided to leave the location traditional: on the right side of the lower half of the coin field. Since on kopecks with the date “1997” and later the obverse is occupied by St. George the Victorious, slaying a snake, it turned out that the letters ended up under the rearing hoof of the hero’s four-legged companion. They look quite harmonious there. Ruble denominations are no longer decorated with letters, but logos mints.

The elongated logo of the St. Petersburg Mint almost imperceptibly survived the transformation from LMD to SPMD. But the emblem of the Moscow court has evolved somewhat. In 1997, a monogram containing three letters " " was inscribed in almost smooth circle. The emblem looked large and took up quite a lot of space on the coin field. Apparently for unification, since 1998, the Moscow emblem appears in a flattened version and in more modest sizes. However, it still looks more rounded than the SPMD logo.

For commemorative coins, one of the sides is completely given over to the design, so issuer designation"Bank of Russia" moves to the side where the denomination is located. The mint logo is also sent there. For bimetallic ten-ruble coins, it is located in the center of the lower half of the coin field under the inscription “RUBLE”. This is important to know because coins with the same design can have different prices depending on which mint produced a particular piece.

The case where there is no mint designation deserves a separate discussion. It is necessary to distinguish when this is a recognized variety (5 kopecks 2002 or 2003 or an anniversary two-piece with Gagarin), and when the letter or logo is missing as a result of a banal unminted coin (50 kopecks 2007 or bimetallic tens). In the first case, you have enough in your hands valuable coin. The second case is a common coin defect and big money not worth it).

Let's look back through the pages of history. IN Soviet times most coins were minted at the Leningrad Mint, so the issue of designating the place of minting became actual only with the connection of the Moscow mint to the mass issues of the annual circulation. The exception is anniversary ruble“30 Years of Victory”, where a careful look can detect the elongated LMD logo to the right of the pedestal on which the grandiose monument “Motherland” is installed.

"MMD" and "LMD" on gold coins of the USSR

Mint abbreviations are also present on gold chervonets, which the Goths began to mint in the mid-seventies with the expectation that they would be purchased by wealthy Western tourists who came to the Moscow Olympics. Here we should pay attention to the Leningrad chervonets of 1981, which is a recognized rarity, while the Moscow coin with the same date does not stand out from the rest.

In the late eighties, experienced numismatists easily distinguished yards by date numbers. But 1991 revealed the letter designation “L” or “M” to the right of the coat of arms of the USSR (depending on whether the Leningrad or Moscow Mint minted them). We will see the same letters on coins of 10 and 50 kopecks new coin series, nicknamed by collectors "GKChP". Ruble denominations have already acquired courtyard logos. Fives from 1991 have to be placed in albums in two versions. But the situation with bimetallic tens is more interesting. The elongated LMD logo separates ordinary coins from very rare specimens, where we will see the rounded MMD emblem.

And for fives and rubles with the date “1992” there are already three slots prepared in the albums. The Moscow Mint first minted coins with the logo, but later the letter “M” appeared instead. In Leningrad, they initially began to mint these denominations exclusively with the letter “L”. Of the trinity of fives of a given year, coins with the emblem are less common, although even they are not so difficult to find when systematically scanning the heaps in those regions that were serviced by the Moscow Mint.

Designation of mints on coins of Tsarist Russia

Let's look even deeper into history. If we take the fourteenth century, then cities such as Ryazan, Novgorod, Pskov and Tver could boast of having a mint. True, crude blacksmithing technologies were mainly used here. The dominance gradually passed to the state mint, created in 1534 in Moscow. And under Alexei Mikhailovich, the activities of non-resident mints were temporarily stopped, and the coin business was concentrated in Moscow. In 1697, the Red Court, also called the Chinese Courtyard, opened because of its location near Kitay-Gorod. A century of life was measured for him, and during this period the coins issued at his facilities received the designations “KD”, “MD” and “MM”. Among the Moscow courtyards, we also note Kadashevsky, which also had the designations “MD”, but in addition also “MDZ”, “MDD”, “M” and “MOSCOW”. For minting kopecks from silver and copper coins On the territory of the Moscow Kremlin in the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the Embankment Mint operated, designated as “ND” and “NDZ”.

But now St. Petersburg has been rebuilt, receiving metropolitan status, where the St. Petersburg Mint opened in 1721. Since 1724, it was he who was given the right to mint silver coins. Initially, it was located right in the Peter and Paul Fortress, but by the nineteenth century it was moved to Sadovaya Street, giving it the area of ​​the Assignation Bank, and then to a special building in Petropavlovsk. Over the years of its existence, it received the following designations: “BM”, “SM”, “SP”, “SPM” and “SPB”.

The vast expanses of Russia did not allow transporting a sufficient number of coins, while the need for them only increased in connection with the successful expansion to the east. It was necessary to establish the minting of money in the newly acquired territories. This is how they appear mints in Yekaterinburg ("EM"), the village of Anninskoye, Perm province ("AM"), Sestroretsk ("SM"). The Suzunsky Mint ("KM" and "SM") also worked successfully. The Siberian lands were provided with money by the Kolpino court (in different years- “IM”, “KM” and “SPM”). On the southern borders, coins were minted from Tiflis and, for a very short time, Feodosia (“TM” - “Tauride coin”). Poland as part of Russia had quite greater degree independence, including its own mint in Warsaw. Coins minted there are designated "MW", "WM" (Warszawska mennica) and "VM" (Warsaw coin).

Just don’t confuse the mint designation with with the initials of the mintzmeister. Traditionally, on small and medium denominations, the letters indicating the first and last name of the mintsmeister were placed on the obverse under the eagle, and we will see the affiliation with the mint on the reverse under the denomination designation. In determining the value of a coin Imperial Russia Mint initials are important. A coin of the same denomination with the same date could be minted en masse by one mint, while another would produce it in an extremely limited edition. For example, 42,450,000 copies of two kopecks with the date “1812” and the letters “IM” were minted; in Yekaterinburg (designation “EM”) as many as 132,085,700 coins were made, while only 250 thousand coins received the letters “KM”.

Graphic and letter designations on foreign coins

In conclusion, a few words about foreign coins. For European weather, sometimes the mint is also crucial. So complete collection euro two-room apartment must include five copies of the same German coin, differing only by a single letter: A (Berlin), D (Munich), F (Stuttgart), G (Karlsruhe) or J (Hamburg). In the USA, on modern cents and dollars, mints are also distinguished by a single letter: D (Denver), O (New Orleans), P (Philadelphia), S (San Francisco) and W (West Point - precious metals only).

However, not all countries use letter designations. So Paris Mint France uses the cornucopia as a designation, and we will see the caduceus on coins Royal Mint Netherlands. However, here too one should not confuse the logo of the mint with the graphic designation of its director, which may change periodically when the position changes hands.

IN Russian Federation There are two mints: Moscow and St. Petersburg. They are engaged not only in the production of coins, but also in the production of orders and medals. In total, there are several dozen mints in the world and on each coin there is an indication of which of them it was made at. It’s just that each coin identifies the mint differently.
Why is it necessary to identify the mint of a coin, you may ask? This is one of the factors that directly affects the value of the coin on the numismatic market. The cost is also affected by the year of manufacture, product material, edge, condition and some other things.
Why does the value of a coin depend on the mint? In many ways, this value is determined by the circulation of the coin issued in a certain year at a particular mint. Relatively speaking, if in 2012 the Moscow Mint issued 4 million coins with a face value of 5 rubles, and the St. Petersburg Mint only 500 thousand, then the cost of the latter will be higher over time.

Mint mark on modern Russian coins

On modern Russian coins, the St. Petersburg Mint is designated by the abbreviation SPMD on ruble coins and SP on penny coins. The Moscow Mint is designated by the abbreviation MMD on ruble coins and M on penny coins. It is curious that on coins of 1992, coins of the St. Petersburg Mint were marked with the seal L. There are also cases of defects in which individual coins were issued without a mint mark. As a rule, such coins cost 10 times their face value.
Since the production standard has long been established in mints, the place where the mint is indicated is strictly defined already at the time of manufacture. On kopecks (coins in denominations of 1 kopeck, 5 kopecks, 10 kopecks, 50 kopecks), the mint mark is stamped on the obverse of the coin, under the horse’s left hoof, as shown below.

For ruble coins (in denominations 1 ruble, 2 rubles, 5 rubles, 10 rubles), the mint mark is stamped under the left paw of the double-headed eagle, in which the orb is located. On commemorative coins that do not have an eagle on the obverse, the mintmark is on the denomination side of the coin.
In order to detect a mint mark, in most cases it is enough to have acute vision. However, if the icon was not found, do not rush to rejoice that the coin is rare. You should carefully examine the coin using a magnifying glass or microscope.

As for Soviet coins, the mint mark began to be applied to them only in 1975. The first Soviet coins on which the mint mark appeared were: 1 ruble, dedicated to the fortieth anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and chervonets 1977. But on change coins, the mint mark began to be indicated only in 1990.

Mint mark on coins of the Russian Empire

As for older coins of times Russian Empire, then there were several dozen yards where coins were printed. Finding symbols is quite difficult, since only on coins good quality The mint mark has been preserved quite clearly. Nevertheless, let's look at the abbreviations that denoted certain mints.
AM. Found on coins of 1789-1796. The so-called Annin coin was printed in the village. Anninskoye, Perm province. Mostly these were coins in denominations of 2 and 5 kopecks made of copper.
BK. Red and Naberezhny Mints of Moscow. The BC reduction comes from the Big Treasury. Found on coins from the period 1704-1718.
W.M. (also M.W. and W.M.). Abbreviation for Warsaw coin. Found on coins from the period 1815-1915 (the period when the Kingdom of Poland became part of the Russian Empire).
THEM. Abbreviation for Izhora coin. Coins were printed in the period 1810-1821, mainly in denominations of 1 and 2 kopecks. They were published in the village of Izhora near St. Petersburg.
KM. Abbreviation for Kolyvan coin. The coins were printed between 1767 and 1839. At first, only the so-called was printed with this sign. Siberian coin, then from 1801 national. The name comes from the Kolyvano-Voskresensky copper smelters Altai Territory, on which coins were issued.
MM. Abbreviation for Moscow coin. The coins were printed in the period 1758-1795. Found on coins of 1 and 2 kopecks.
CM. Abbreviation for Suzun coin. Coins were printed in the period 1831-1847 at the Nizhne-Suzunsky copper smelter (now located in the Novosibirsk region).
Also, the abbreviation SM was found on coins printed in Sestroretsk near St. Petersburg (1763-1767) and on St. Petersburg coins (Petersburg Court in 1797-1799 and Bank Mint in 1799-1801).
TM. Abbreviation for Tauride coin. Published in the city of Feodosia in the period 1787-1788. This “mint” is notable for the different denominations of the coins it produces, which was not typical for other regional “mints.” Thus, copper coins were issued in denominations from half a half to 5 kopecks, and silver coins from 2 to 20 kopecks.

If you decide to become interested in numismatics, you should carefully select items for your collection. To quickly and correctly determine the market value of a banknote, you will need knowledge about mints. The fact is that the same banknote issued by different yards can differ in price several times.

Before you start searching for an emblem, you should determine the year of manufacture. If the date could not be found, most likely, this coin was issued during the times of Tsarist Rus', and only an experienced collector can determine whether it belongs to the mint. The fact is that previously there were about thirty mints in the country.

Today the question is relevant: how to determine the mint on a coin? However, in modern Russia Unlike the times of Tsarist Rus', there are only two mints - Moscow and St. Petersburg, whose emblems are displayed on the surface of the coins.

How can I find out which mint issued a coin? On the products their names are minted in the form of monograms MMD and SPMD. The letters M and S-P are displayed on penny coins.

If the coins do not have mint emblems, they are a real collector's item, and the value of such defective items will increase significantly. As surprising as it may sound, defective items are actually valued much higher due to their rarity.

Not every novice collector knows where the mint is located. In fact, this is not such a difficult procedure. To understand which court a coin belongs to, just take a magnifying glass and carefully examine its surface. Also, some collectors use a scanner or camera.

Sometimes it is difficult for beginners to figure out how to distinguish between mints. On coins that were issued by the Moscow Mint, the inscriptions are more rounded. This is one of the main differences.

On 10-ruble coins, the mint mark is located on the obverse, immediately below the denomination. If the banknote was issued in the early 90s, then the emblem should be looked for on the front side. But on penny coins, the sign of belonging to the mint will be depicted under the front hooves of the horse on which the rider sits. In modern coins, the emblem is located on the reverse on the right side under the eagle's paw.

For those who do not know how to distinguish a mint, these features will be quite enough to independently determine the identity of the banknotes.

First in Russia Mint appeared in 1534 in Moscow. In the period from 1697 to 1701, 5 enterprises for minting money already existed in Moscow. In 1724, by decree of Peter I, the same enterprise was founded in St. Petersburg, which after 1826 became the only one in the Russian Empire. In Moscow, coin minting was resumed only in 1942 at a newly built enterprise.

In the Soviet Union, coins were produced at Moscow and Leningrad enterprises. They were minted without a mark until 1991. In 1991, the trademark of the company that minted the coin appeared on the obverse. The letter “M” is the designation of the Moscow Mint, and “L” is the designation of the Leningrad Mint. The signs were located at the bottom of the obverse of the coin to the right of the coat of arms of the USSR.

After the collapse of the USSR, a monetary reform took place, the appearance coins, their weight, and some other denominations appeared. On the first coins of the State Emergency Committee, the trademark was placed on the reverse under the denomination, and the hallmark designations remained the same. In mid-1991, new stamps began to appear on coins of 1 ruble and above, namely “MMD” - Moscow Mint and “LMD” - Leningradsky. Now coins were minted from in different letters: “M”, “L”, “MMD”, “LMD” depending on the denomination. This continued until 1993. In 1993, after another monetary reform, the mint mark “M”, “L” finally disappeared.

After the renaming of Leningrad to St. Petersburg, the stigma also changed. Since 1997, coins with the sign “SPMD” began to be minted, which meant St. Petersburg Mint. The designation of Moskovsky remains the same - “MMD”. Each coin minting enterprise began to place stamps of two samples on the obverse side. For small change up to 50 kopecks, Moskovsky puts “M”, and St. Petersburg S-P and it is located under the raised hoof of the horse. From 1 ruble and above – “MMD” and “SPMD”, respectively. On these denominations the sign is placed under right paw eagle.

On modern commemorative coins, the mint mark appears in different places, depending on the denomination. On coins of 2 rubles and 5 rubles it is located on the reverse on the right side between the curls of the branch. On a bimetallic coin of 10 rubles - in the center on the reverse under the coin's denomination. On brass-plated ten-ruble steel coins issued since 2009, the mark is placed on the reverse side on the right side under the branch next to the year of issue.

Gallery of signs

Since the founding of the Russian Empire, there have been many enterprises for minting money. Each enterprise had its own designation. Below are the names and marks of the mints of Tsarist Russia.

• AM - Anninsky
• BC - Krasny, Naberezhny
• BM - St. Petersburg
• VM – Warsaw
• EM – Ekaterinburg
• IM - Kolpinsky (Izhora)
• KD – Red
• KM – Kolyvansky, Suzunsky, Kolpinsky (Izhora)
• M, MD, MDD, MDZ, MM, MOSCOW – Kadashevsky
• MMD – Red
• MW – Warsaw
• ND, NDD, NDZ – Embankment
• SM - Sestroretsky (on nickels 1763-1767)
• SM - Petersburg (on coins of 1797-1799)
• C - Banking (on gold and silver money 1799-1801)
• SM - Suzunsky (on money of 1798)
• SP - St. Petersburg
• SP - Bankovsky (on gold and silver coins of 1800)
• St. Petersburg - St. Petersburg (on money 1724-1796 and 1805-1914)
• SPB - Bankovsky (on gold and silver coins of 1801-1805)
• St. Petersburg - Paris and Strasbourg (on exchange silver 1861 without the sign of the mintzmeister)
• JV - Birmingham (on copper coins 1896-1898)
• St. Petersburg - St. Petersburg plant of Rosenkrantz (on copper coins 1899-1901)
• SPM - St. Petersburg Mint
• SPM - Kolpinsky (Izhora) (copper 1840-1843)
• TM - Tavrichesky