Identification of the mint mark on a coin. Brief information about mint letters and graphic logos

If you look closely at the symbols on the coins, you can see the abbreviations SPMD and MMD. But what do these symbols mean and what are their differences? Let's look at this question in more detail.

Definition

SPMD coins– coins produced by the St. Petersburg Mint.

MMD coins– coins minted by the Moscow Mint.

Comparison

The St. Petersburg Mint is considered one of the largest mints in the world, engaged in the minting of both regular and commemorative and anniversary items from precious metals. It also serves as a place for the production of insignia, medals, orders and other products made from non-ferrous metal alloys for government orders. Founded on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1724. It is one of the most famous and oldest St. Petersburg enterprises. The main difference between the coins of the St. Petersburg Mint is the abbreviation SPMD, located under the right foot of the bird on modern Russian coins. At different times they had other letter designations: SP, SPM, SPB, SM, LMD, L.

Left - MMD; on the right - SPMD

The Moscow Mint is also one of the leading producers of coins, various insignia and medals. Mints coins commissioned by foreign states and works with private customers. It produces investment, commemorative and precious coins that become collectibles for numismatists. The year 1942 is officially considered the founding date of the Moscow Mint. Together with the St. Petersburg Mint, it serves as a member of an association called Gosznak. On the coins of the Moscow Mint, under the right paw of the eagle there is the abbreviation MMD or simply the letter M. On penny coins, the abbreviations of a particular mint are placed under the horse’s hoof.

Sometimes there are coins that do not have any letter designation. They are considered defective and are valued at several times their face value. Such coins include, for example, five-kopeck coins issued in 2002 and 2003.

Conclusions website

1. SPMD coins are coins produced by the St. Petersburg Mint.
2. MMD coins are coins minted by the Moscow Mint.
3. Old coins of the St. Petersburg Mint can also be designated by the symbols SP, SPM, SPB, SM, LMD, L. Products of the Moscow Mint have only two designations: M or MMD.
4. Coins from the Moscow Mint can be issued to individual orders, while products from the St. Petersburg Mint are produced exclusively for government orders.

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, the monogram, including the three letters " ", was inscribed in an almost even 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 is not worth a lot of money).

Let's look back through the pages of history. In Soviet times, most of the 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 mintage. 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 the minting of kopecks from silver and copper coins on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin in the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the Embankment Mint, designated as “ND” and “NDZ”, operated.

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 Kolpinsky courtyard (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 a fairly large degree of 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 coins of Imperial Russia, the initials of the mints 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 of euro two-room apartments 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.

Mint marks on Russian coins allow you to accurately determine where such a coin was minted. Since the times of the Soviet Union, there have been two mints in Russia - Moscow and Leningrad, which later became St. Petersburg.

A mint appeared in Moscow back in 1534. And in 1724, by decree of Peter I, a mint was opened in St. Petersburg, which was also the only one for some time, since the Moscow one did not function from 1826 to 1942.

Now in Russia there are two mints. The designation on the coins is minted in the form of monograms: MMD and SPMD.

Mint marks in the USSR

The first mint mark appeared on the reverse 1 ruble denomination, which was issued in 1975, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the victory. It was a sign of the LDM, which belonged to Leningrad. In 1977, in addition to the LDM, the MMD sign was first applied to the edge of the chervonets. Marks indicating the mint began to be applied to the change coin only in 1990.

Mint marks on coins

In the USSR, the letters L and M, as well as the abbreviations LDM, MMD, were applied in 1992-1993. On the 1992 ruble there are three different versions of the mint mark - the MMD, L and M marks.

To identify the mint, numismatists will need a magnifying glass. In some cases, if the condition of the coin is already poor, a scanner and camera may be useful. But in most cases, a magnifying glass is sufficient. Sometimes it is quite difficult to discern the mint emblem.

Emblem of the mint in modern Russia

So how to determine the mint on modern coins in Russia? On penny coins they are displayed as M and S-P on the obverse under the horse's front hooves. On some coins, the Moscow Mint stamp looks larger, which is also true.

The usual coins that are familiar to us, which are common in circulation, have mint marks located on the obverse of the coin under the eagle's paw on the right. At the same time, mint monograms usually have a standard appearance, however, they can also have many varieties. Sometimes the mint can be identified by the edge of the coin. Money minted with , have inscriptions of a more rounded shape than those minted by the St. Petersburg Mint.

On commemorative coins, depending on the denomination, the mint mark may appear in different places. On the reverse of coins in denominations of 2 rubles and 5 rubles, the emblem is located between the curls of the branches on the right side. In the central part of the reverse, directly below the denomination, it stands on the 10-ruble note. And on the rest with brass coating - next to the year of manufacture.

There are also coins on which the mint mark is not affixed. This happened due to an error in the production of stamps. Among numismatists, such coins are very valuable. There are 4 known such coins, two of which are anniversary coins: 1 ruble 1993, minted in honor of Vernadsky’s 130th anniversary; 2 rubles 2003 - in honor of the 40th anniversary of space flight; as well as 5 kopecks from 2002 and 2003. The belonging of coins from the times of the USSR to a specific mint can be determined by some features of the stamps.

Some novice numismatists underestimate the significance of the mint mark, but in vain. A coin of the same denomination and year of issue can vary greatly in price depending on the presence or absence of this sign, as well as its shape.

How to identify a mint

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 functioned in Russia, and often their letter designations coincided. Difficulties will also arise if the coin was issued in Soviet times, because until 1990, the mint emblem 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 on the 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 with a face value of 1-50 kopecks), MMD (coins with a face value of 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.

Coin collecting, or numismatics, is the most popular form of collecting. Some consider it incorrect to call coin collecting numismatics, since this word refers to the science of the origin and history of coins. However, this does not change the essence of the process.

There are three main areas of coin collecting: thematic (collecting coins with certain images), collecting commemorative and anniversary coins, year-by-year (coins of a certain country by year and by mint, that is, they have certain marks of the mints of Russia or another state).

It is worth noting that collecting coins is a very expensive hobby. Vintage pieces can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Not everyone can afford to buy a piece of metal for that amount. Commemorative and commemorative coins also have a significant value, since in most cases they are made of precious metals or are issued in limited quantities. That is why among beginning numismatists, the most popular area of ​​collecting is collecting yearbooks of the USSR and Russia. But not everything is so simple here either! Even coins of the same state, denomination, year of issue and the same condition can have different prices on the market.

Why are some coins more expensive?

For example, in the Russian Federation today there are two mints - in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Both of these enterprises produced coins of the same denomination during the same period of time. However, one of the mints may have released a limited edition. It is coins minted in smaller quantities that will have a higher value. The limited series may be explained by the fact that the mint could not keep up with the minting, and part of the order was transferred to a second one. The marks of Russian mints will help identify the manufacturer.

What is a brand?

The Mint is a state-owned enterprise engaged in the production of banknotes, orders, medals, memorial signs, and minting coins.

A hallmark is a sign, a designation of the enterprise where the coin was made (minted). Letters, monograms, icons, drawings, and so on can serve as mint marks.

As noted earlier, its market value depends on which mint - Moscow or St. Petersburg - minted the coin.

The first domestic coin to bear a mint mark is the 1975 ruble, dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of Victory in the Second World War. The mint's monogram (mark) is minted at the bottom right of the image of the monument. Subsequently, mint marks were not placed on copper-nickel commemorative coins. In addition to domestic coins, the mark of the Russian Mint (SPMD - St. Petersburg Mint) is on the change coins of Tajikistan.

Where are the Russian mint marks placed on coins?

In 1991, the mint marks were the letters “M” and “L” - the Moscow and Leningrad Mints. On Soviet coins, the stamp was located to the right of the coat of arms. Exception - 5 and g.

On coins of different denominations minted in 1991-1992 (the so-called GKChP issue) there are various marks of Russian mints. The letter "M" - 10 kopecks, the letter "L" - 50 kopecks, monograms LMD and MMD - 1 ruble. On coins of this period, the mint marks are located below the denomination.

All modern coins in circulation indicate the mints of Russia (designations - M, MMD, S-P, SPMD). On small change coins (1-50 kopecks) under the horse’s hoof there can be an S-P or M. The letter “M” is on coins minted by the Moscow Mint, “S-P” - by the St. Petersburg Mint.

This principle is also observed on coins of 1, 2, 5 and 10 rubles. If you look closely, on the coin on the left under the paw of the double-headed eagle you can see the monograms MMD or SPMD (Moscow or St. Petersburg Mint, respectively). However, there are differences here too - on coins from the same mint and the same year of minting, the mark has a different location relative to the eagle’s paw. The market value of offset products is slightly higher.

Why are some coins missing marks?

It should also be noted that the marks of the Russian mints may not be on the coin. Most often, its absence is a manufacturing defect - the monogram or letter designation was simply forgotten to be applied during the production of the stamp. To date, four coins without a hallmark are known - 1 ruble 1993 (timed to coincide with the 130th anniversary of the birth of Vernadsky), 5 kopecks 2002 and 2003, 2 rubles 2001 with the image of Yuri Gagarin (40 years of the first human flight into the space). These coins are quite rare and, therefore, have special value for collectors.

As for Soviet coins, almost all of them have no mark. You can identify the mint by analyzing the coin itself in detail. Some features of the stamp design make it possible to determine the place of minting. The most obvious differences are in the letter designation on the coin.

History of the Moscow Mint (mark M, MMD)

History of the St. Petersburg Mint (mark L, S-P, SPMD)

The city in which the oldest operating mint in Russia is located is St. Petersburg. The Mint was founded in 1724 by Peter I. The Peter and Paul Fortress was chosen as the base. This enterprise is one of the largest mints in the world. The building is also a unique architectural monument and the oldest industrial enterprise in the city. The Mint produces insignia, orders, medals, and mints commemorative and commemorative coins, including coins made of precious metals.