Where is the mint mark placed on a coin? How to identify the mint

Many beginners in numismatics are somewhat skeptical about definition of the mint who issued this coin. And let's say this is wrong for the future collector of rare coins. After all, knowledge of the mint sometimes helps to determine the market value of a rarity that has fallen into your hands. The same denomination issued by different mints can differ in price by several times.

So how to determine the mint on the coins of Russia. To begin with, you need to know that modern Russia There are two mints: Moscow and St. Petersburg. And on modern coins their names are minted in the form of monograms: MMD and SPMD. On penny coins, the sign is on the reverse in the form of the letters M and S-P. Sometimes the designation of the court is absent on some coins. And as a result of such a marriage, the value of the coin grows significantly. Also, a novice collector should not be alarmed by the fact that the stamp of the Moscow Mint on the coins looks somewhat larger than the St. Petersburg one. This is the case.

To determine the mint for a numismatist, you may need a magnifying glass. But if circumstances permit, you can use a camera or scanner. But the last two methods are more suitable for old or worn coins. So a magnifying glass is the main tool of a numismatist.

But even with a magnifying glass, it is not always easy to find emblems on a coin. mints. Therefore, we immediately suggest that on 10 ruble coins mint mark can be found on the obverse of the coin under its face value. The photo below clearly illustrates this.

And penny coins will please the collector with the letters M or S-P under the front hooves of the horse.

On the coins of the early nineties, the mints are marked on the front side of the coin in the form of the letters M (Moscow) or L (Leningrad).

Also, the mint can be identified by the edge (edge) of the coin - on MMD coins, the inscriptions have a more rounded shape than on SPMD coins.

Determine the mint by edge

By carefully studying all the available coins on sale, there is the best opportunity for a decent choice. Many coins are distinguished by the presence of the abbreviation SPMD, as well as MMD. What are the differences? What is important to pay attention to when studying symbols?

SPMD and MMD coins: what is it?

• SPMD is a designation that indicates the release in St. Petersburg.
• MMD indicates the official release in Moscow.

SPMD and MMD coins: general information about the difference

SPMD is one of the most famous and largest institutions of its kind in the world. It is planned to mint various commemorative and anniversary, as well as ordinary items using precious metals. The main focus is initially placed on coins. In most cases, government orders are fulfilled.

Successful activity started in 1724, and is currently glorifying St. Petersburg throughout Russia and neighboring countries. Manufactured modern products are offered with the abbreviation SPMD, which is the main difference. Modern coins boast the presence of an abbreviation under the bird's right foot. Previously, coins were issued with other designations in the form of letters, and their number turns out to be decent (7 options).

MMD is one of the most famous coin manufacturers. The company is engaged in minting coins, fulfilling orders from foreign countries and private customers. Products include investment, commemorative, precious metals of interest to numismatists. The institution has been successfully operating since 1942. The Moscow Mint, like the St. Petersburg Mint, is a member state association"Gosznak", which corresponds to the current situation on the market. However, on the manufactured products under the right paw of the eagle, the presence of the abbreviation MMD or M can be noted, which indicates a different issuing institution.

On penny coins, the abbreviations MMD, M are placed under the horse's hoof. This rule applies to both mints. In addition, sometimes the coins do not have any letter designation, because they are defective products and cannot be valued at face value.

SPMD and MMD coins: important differences

1. SPMD coins are issued by the St. Petersburg plant, MMD - by Moscow.
2. Old coins issued in St. Petersburg have different designations, despite the fact that Moscow products are presented in only two versions of designations.
3. The Moscow Mint carries out only individual orders. At the same time, the St. Petersburg Mint operates only on the basis of state orders.

It is important to note that both institutions are not limited to the issuance of coins, so the range of products is wide and varied.

Valuable coins MMD and SPMD

All numismatists know which products are the most valuable. In most cases, high popularity is assumed for the following options:

1. SPMD 5 rubles (2003). average cost- 6000 rubles. Circulation is minimal. The coin is made in the usual design. No wide piping, offset lettering, or unique patterns are expected. The only difference is the abbreviation of the manufacturer.
2. MMD 1 ruble (1997). This version The coin has a wide edging. In this case, the edging can be flat or protruding (steps on the reverse, as well as the obverse). Flat products are less common. The cost is 5000 - 8000 rubles.
3. 2 rubles (2003) SPMD. The limited edition led to a cost of 8,000 rubles.
4. 1 ruble (2003) SPMD. The average price is 10 thousand rubles. Minimum circulation expected. As a result, the value of the coins significantly exceeds the face value.
5. 1 ruble (2001) MMD. The coin is valued at 30 thousand rubles. In Russia, there are several design options in everyday life. Despite the official release of everyday life, the circulation started. The number of items issued is unknown, but it indicates the rarity of the coin. The maximum cost in the ideal condition of the product reaches 30,000 rubles.
6. 2 rubles (2001) MMD. Official minting has not started. 2-ruble coins managed to get into circulation, but without an official indication of the amount issued. The right to become the owner of valuable products will cost a couple of tens of thousands of rubles.
7. 50 kopecks (2001) MMD. The price starts from one hundred thousand rubles (the most bad condition products), but if you want a better copy, it is recommended to count on an additional 20 thousand rubles to the initial cost. There is no reliable information, at least on a single sale of manufactured products.
8. 5 rubles (1999) SPMD. The price exceeds 250,000 rubles, which indicates the most expensive domestic products. There is currently only one copy. Unique design it is almost impossible to repeat, and it is he who gives special value to coins.

Each numismatist is able to choose exactly the offer that actually meets his needs and financial capabilities.

Front side of the coin. On the obverse of modern rubles, a double-headed eagle is depicted, on kopecks - a rider piercing a snake with a spear. For Soviet coins, the front side is the one where the coat of arms of the USSR is depicted.

The side of the coin opposite the obverse. The reverse of modern Russian coins is decorated floral ornament, on this side the number indicates the face value.

edge - side surface coins.

Kant- a narrow protruding strip along the edge of the coin, which performs the function of protecting its relief from wear.

mint mark

mint mark- trademark of the manufacturer. On modern rubles, the mint is indicated by the abbreviations SPMD (St. Petersburg Mint) or MMD (Moscow Mint), on kopecks in block letters "S-P" (St. Petersburg) or "M" (Moscow). The trademark is located on the obverse of the coin: for rubles it should be looked for under the paw of an eagle, for kopecks - under the front hoof of a horse. An exception is commemorative (jubilee) metal money, in which the mint mark is located in other places, for example, between the branches of a floral ornament.

Mint mark on modern kopecks:
Letter "M"	Letters "S-P"

Possible options for designating a coin enterprise on banknotes 1992-1993:
M - Moscow Mint	L - Leningrad Mint
MMD - Moscow Mint	LMD - Leningrad Mint

Degrees of preservation of the coin

The condition of a coin (the safety of a coin) is one of the main factors affecting its collectible value.

There are the following degrees of preservation of the coin:

• Uncirculated (UNC) - excellent condition. In this condition, the coin should not show any signs of wear, and all its design details are usually clearly visible. Coins in this state often have an original "chased" sheen over their entire surface area. At the same time, the presence of minor traces from storage in bags in the form of small nicks or scratches and some other shortcomings is acceptable.
• About Uncirculated (AU, rarely aUNC) - almost excellent condition. The coin has minimal, barely noticeable wear.
• Extremely Fine (XF) - excellent condition. Coins in excellent condition have very slight wear on the most protruding small elements of the pattern. Usually at least 90 - 95% of fine details are clearly visible on them.
• Very Fine (VF) - very good condition. Metal money already has a very noticeable wear, and somewhat smoothed details of the pattern (as a rule, only about 75% of the details of the pattern are clearly distinguishable).
• Fine (F) - good condition. Good condition is determined by the pronounced wear of the surfaces due to the long stay of the banknote in circulation. About 50% of the original details of the drawing are distinguishable.
• Very Good (VG) - satisfactory condition. Significant abrasion of the entire surface. In Very Good condition, as a rule, only about 25% of the original elements of the drawing are preserved.
• Good (G)- poor condition Very intense wear. Usually the largest design details are distinguishable.

Varieties

Collecting coins by variety is gaining popularity these days. Varieties are usually called copies of coins of the same denomination, year of issue, mint, which have any differences:

• in stamps used for minting obverse and (or) reverse,
• according to the design and inscriptions on the edge,
• the material from which the coin is made.

The most popular catalogs of varieties of coins of modern Russia are:

Types of coin marriage

The numismatic value of banknotes with defects in some cases exceeds standard copies by an order of magnitude. The most common types of coinage are:

1. Vykus (moon)

Manufacturing defect. Such a marriage is formed when there is a failure in the supply of the metal tape, and if the tape is not completely displaced, then a semicircular “bite” from the previous cutting remains on the newly cut out mug. Only specimens with pronounced bites or several bites on one coin are valued. The price of such coins at auctions usually does not exceed 1000 rubles.

2. Not minted

An unmarked image on a coin can appear both as a result of the wear of working dies, and as a result of insufficient impact force during minting. Occurs quite often. Of interest are only coins with a strong unstruck, in which case the price of a coin can exceed 1000 rubles.

One of the most common types of coin marriage. This type of marriage is formed when using a destroyed stamp. A cracked stamp forms a convex line on the coin during minting, starting from its edge. Of interest to collectors are only specimens with a pronounced split of the stamp, going from edge to edge. The cost of such banknotes usually starts from 100 rubles and in some cases can exceed 1000 rubles.

4. Rotation of the obverse relative to the reverse

In the case of using stamps for minting, fixed with a certain rotation relative to each other, a marriage called “turn” is obtained. The rotation angle can be from 0 to 180 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. The price of copies with this type of marriage depends on the offset. The higher the angle, the more expensive the "turn" is, but it is rare that the cost of modern coins with a turn exceeds 1000 rubles.

Other types of marriage are much less common and are described in a separate article.

Where to sell the coin?

We have prepared a special We have compared the best of them, pointing out the advantages of each. You will also receive 10 recommendations that will allow you to get the maximum benefit from the sale!

The first thing a beginner numismatist should learn is to determine 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 precisely by where it was minted and in what quantity.

You will need

Instruction

Determine the year of issue of the coin

First, determine in which year the coin was issued. Mints appeared in Russia as early as the 11th century, but they did not begin to indicate their emblems on coins right away. Quite often, simply the initials of the master who made the coin were indicated. So, look for the minting date on your coin. If you could not find it, but assume that the coin was issued at the time tsarist Russia, then only an experienced specialist can determine the mint in most cases. The fact is that until the beginning of the 20th century, about three dozen mints functioned in Russia, and often they letter designations matched. Difficulties will also arise if the coin is issued in Soviet time, because until 1990, the mint emblem was simply not indicated.

Where to look for the mint emblem?

So, you have made sure that the coin was issued between 1990 and the present, the next step is to find where the emblem of the mint is indicated, or the abbreviation of its name. On the coins of 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 below the face value. On coins from 1 to 50 kopecks, the emblem of the mint is indicated under the left front hoof of the horse, and coins from 1 to 10 rubles are stamped 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 see the mint mark.

What emblems exist?

Today in Russia there are two mints - St. Petersburg and Moscow, and it is customary to designate them with 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’s enough just to understand the first letter.

What if there is no logo?

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

The designation of the mint on domestic coins has a long history. AT Soviet period on the coin tokens it was practically non-existent. But one should not think that it was canceled by the Bolsheviks who came to power. In fact, the disappearance of the usual letters "SPB", separated by dots, was facilitated by Emperor Nicholas II. Having entered the military campaign of the First World War, the tsar launched the strongest anti-German sentiments in society. The outburst of hatred for everything German was so powerful and fast that already in August St. Petersburg changed its name to Petrograd.

In this regard, the St. Petersburg Mint also becomes Petrograd, and the same three letters "SPB" disappear from coins of penny denominations (the initials of mintzmeister Viktor Smirnov continue to be minted on silver). This is how the issue of "yardless" royal coins began. However, the empire itself did not have long to stay on political map peace.

LMD logo on the anniversary ruble

In the mass consciousness, the return of the mint designation took place in 1991, when the letters "L" or "M" appeared on the entire line of coins (depending on whether the Leningrad or Moscow mint minted them). However, this is an erroneous opinion. For the first time, the trademark was minted on the jubilee ruble dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of the Victory. Below and to the right of the pedestal, on which the sculpture of the Motherland proudly rises, we can find the logo of the Leningrad Mint. The reasons why it appeared once and did not appear again at the Soviet copper-nickel anniversary are unknown. It can be said that the phenomenon went almost unnoticed. Few people paid at least some attention to a small trademark, so this logo did not linger in the memory of the people.

Since 1977, the designation of the mint in the form of a three-letter abbreviation has appeared on gold coins, in in large numbers minted before the Olympics. There were hopes that foreigners would massively buy up the original coins. In 1981, the Leningrad yard sharply reduced the production of gold coins, so the chervonets, which have the designation LMD on the edge, are a welcome find among collectors of domestic investment coins. However, for the majority of Soviet citizens gold coins remained the realities of some other parallel world, therefore, here, too, the designation of the mint was more familiar to the initiated than to the general public.

M and L on 1991 coins

But to say that the mass return of the trademark took place precisely in 1991 is not entirely correct. The letter "M" to the right of the coat of arms of the USSR is also present on the coins of 1990 (denominations of 5 and 10 kopecks). It is clear that this is a mistake when the stamp pair was made up of the obverse, intended for coins of 1991, and the reverse of 1990, which somehow lingered in the technological chain. These coins are quite rare and have a high price among collectors.

All coins of the new line, unofficially called "Coins of the State Emergency Committee" have the designation of the mint. If hryvnia and fifty kopecks are denoted by letters ("M" for ten kopecks and "L" for fifty), then ruble denominations are already decorated with a logo. On the ruble, we can only see the elongated LMD logo, but the five, in addition to the Leningrad one, can also have a rounded Moscow monogram (MMD is valued a little more expensive, but rare coin is not). However, the difference in logos is most strikingly manifested in the price of a bimetallic ten-ruble note. Ten LMD was issued in huge circulation and is still a coin that is bought by weight. But if under the designation of the face value there is a circle in which curly letters MMD are guessed, then the price of such an instance is immediately carried away above the ten thousandth mark.

Three options for change 1992

A very interesting situation developed for the lowest denominations of 1992. Due to hyperinflation, pennies were washed out of circulation. Therefore, the letter designations were switched to coins in denominations of one ruble and five rubles. But the Moscow Court managed to mint some part of the circulation not with the letter "M", but with the MMD logo. Let's look at fives with three types of designation. If "letter" coins are ordinary and are of no interest, then fives with a logo will not be seen so often, and they have collectible value(You can check on the basis of the auction passes of our site).

Higher denominations of 10 and 20 rubles immediately had a mint designation in the form of a logo. However, both yards did a great job here, and pricing does not come from the designation of the yard, but from the presence of magnetic properties for 1992 and their absence for 1993. The logo also adorns bimetal, where Moscow coins are more valued.

M and SP under the horse's hoof

The designation of the court remained on the coins even after the denomination. But Leningrad regained its historical name of St. Petersburg, and the abbreviation LMD was transformed into SPMD. However, for small change coins, they decided to leave only the designation of cities (without mentioning the mint). And on the penny denominations of 1997, the letter "M" appeared again. Almost in the same place as on the 1991 pennies. And the letter "L" was replaced by a two-letter construction with a dot "S-P". The obverse of penny denominations is decorated with the image of St. George the Victorious striking a snake with a spear. Therefore, we always remember, seeing the phrase "Look for the designation of the mint under the horse's hoof", that we are talking only about penny denominations.

MMD and SPMD under the paw of an eagle

Ruble denominations have an image of a double-headed eagle on the obverse (an analogue of the emblem of the Bank of Russia - the issuer of money Russian Federation). The phrase "We are looking for the designation of the mint under the eagle's paw" is appropriate here. It is no longer about letters. Before us is the trademark of the Mint in the form of the MMD or SPMD logo. Trademark, as it turned out, is not such a constant. If the ruble denominations are decorated with the MMD logo in the form of a huge circle, then over time it becomes modest in size and noticeably flattened. But the SPMD logo is unchanged. It is worth noting that most varieties of modern weathering are precisely one or another arrangement of the mint trademark relative to other elements of the pattern on the field of the coin.

"Lost" signs

They are unlikely to write an impressive novel like The Lost Symbol. But among collectors, coins without a court designation are in steady demand. As in the Soviet years, the Moscow Mint excelled here. For unknown reasons, he lost the "M" on part of the circulation of five kopecks in 2002 and 2003, as well as the MMD logo on the "Gagarin" two-rouble note in 2001. The price of such coins is thousands of times higher than their sisters of ordinary varieties. Therefore, fakes have become more frequent. Basically, the logo is polished on two rubles, and St. Petersburg coins are often used. But forgeries of patches have already been identified, although it is technologically more difficult to cut off a badge from a clad coin. There are coins without designation of the court and other years. But here it is important to remember that coins of recognized varieties are valued. If the design of the coin field in all details is indistinguishable from the familiar stamp, where the court is present, then it is just not minted. Of course, such coins are also of interest, but attention to them is much more modest than to "legitimate" options without a logo or letter.

Moving the logo to the face value on the anniversary

On commemorative coins, the issuer and trademark move to the side where the denomination is indicated, and it automatically becomes the obverse. The reason is clear - the other side is completely occupied by an image dedicated to an event, region or ancient city. On bimetallic tens, the logo is located at the bottom of the obverse. It is important not only in terms of collection (there are albums for the anniversary, taking into account two-yard releases), but also in terms of value. If you look at the price tag or the database of auction passages on our site, you will notice that the coins of one mint are somewhat more expensive than the exact same ones, but issued by another mint.

Since 2016, the eagle on the obverse of ruble denominations has changed appearance, returning to the classic imperial look. This is how we have already seen it on the twenty-five-ruble coins dedicated to the Sochi Olympics. We are looking for the mint trademark on the banknotes of the new sample in the usual place - under the eagle's paw, although now it is turned up and occupied by the orb. So far, only the Moscow Mint is represented. But nothing prevents the mint of St. Petersburg from returning to minting a walker, and then we will once again see the SPMD logo under the eagle's paw.

Latest auction prices for coins in Russian rubles

A photo	Description of the coin	G	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC	proof
	5 kopecks 2002 M from 2 to 15 rubles.	-	-	-	15	-	2	10	-
	1 ruble 1991 LMD GKChP GKChP from 7 to 106 rubles.	-	-	-	-	7	8	106	-
	1 ruble 1992 MMD from 21 to 110 rubles.	-	-	-	-	21	-	110	-
	1 ruble 1992 M from 1 to 199 rubles.	-	-	-	-	-	1	199	-
	5 rubles 1992 MMD from 66 to 284 rubles.	-	-	-	-	66	284	268	-
	5 rubles 1992 M from 45 to 162 rubles.	-	-	-	-	-	45	162	-
	1 ruble 1992 L from 1 to 110 rubles.	-	-	-	-	18	1	110	-
	5 rubles 1992 L from 1 to 100 rubles.	-	-	-	1	6	8	100	-
	10 rubles 2008 MMD Vladimir Vladimir (XII century) from 120 to 278 rubles.	-	-	120	193	233	240	278	-