The Gangut Ruble: The Last Commemorative Coin of the Russian Empire

The Gangut Ruble became a landmark coin as it was the last commemorative ruble issued in the Russian Empire. Its appearance in 1914 was dedicated to an important historical event — the bicentennial of the Russian fleet's victory over the Swedes.

Alexander Volkov

February 1, 2026

Edited by Administrator 2/1/2026

The 1914 Commemorative Issue

The Saint Petersburg Mint produced a limited batch of these coins. A total of 317 pieces were minted, but they never entered circulation, making them rare from the very beginning.

The Soviet Restrike and Its Mystery

Stage	Year	Quantity
Original Mintage	1914	317 pcs.
Soviet Restrike	1927	30,000 pcs.

The story of the Gangut Ruble took an unexpected turn in the Soviet era. In 1927, a decision was made to use the original dies for an additional minting. As a result, another 30,000 of these coins were produced.

This production peculiarity created a unique numismatic mystery. Because the authentic minting tools were used, it is impossible to distinguish the coins from the original imperial issue from the Soviet restrike.