The Museum of the History of Money opened in the building of the Anninsky Cavalier on the territory of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 2016. Its creation was initiated by the joint-stock company Goznak, which issues Russian coins and banknotes. The museum houses the largest exhibition in the world dedicated to the history of monetary circulation in Russia. It displays unique items from Goznak's collection, tools for minting coins and medals, trial coins, and samples of paper money autographed by the country's top officials.
Gold coin with a face value of 50,000 rubles
The museum's technological character is also evident in the exhibits: throughout the exhibition area there are various displays, projectors, and touch screens. The exhibition is divided into thematic sections and covers the entire period of production of banknotes and coins in our country. The exhibition begins at a historical stand that displays "cheshuiki" — thin coins from the Old Rus' period. In the center of the hall is the museum's largest exhibit — the "Million" tower, composed of one-ruble coins glued together. The sculpture is 3.5 meters tall and weighs three tons!
The 'Million' tower of ruble coins
Next to the tower there are two stands with hand holes. They hold two five-kilogram commemorative giant coins made of gold and silver, struck at the St. Petersburg Mint. These are the largest and heaviest coins ever issued in Russia. The silver coin has a denomination of 500 rubles, and the gold coin a denomination of 50,000 rubles. The museum has a terminal for printing a commemorative banknote, where you can choose the banknote design yourself and print it as a souvenir. In addition, the museum has an installation called "Ethnonumismatics", which introduces visitors to non-standard uses of coins. Coins were used to decorate traditional clothing, jewelry, and interior items.
Traditional clothing and jewelry featuring coins
The museum's exhibition features more than 2,500 unique items recounting the story of money and the technologies used to produce it from ancient times to the present. Visitors learn not only about the history of money but also about other areas of its use—for example, jewelry, purses, and objects made from coins. The museum is equipped with modern interactive technologies that allow visitors to view documentary and feature videos about the intricacies of monetary systems of different centuries. The exhibition also covers the topic of counterfeiting in Russia. The hands-on paper-making master classes are very popular. The Museum of the History of Money can be visited independently or as part of individual or group tours of up to twenty people.
