Lunar calendar is a series of commemorative coins of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation dedicated to the lunar calendar .
| Moon calendar | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Obverse | Single obverse for all coins in the series (accurate to the year of coinage, jewelry and the mint mark) | |
| Description of the series (group) | ||
| Issuer |  Russian Federation | |
| Currency unit | Russian ruble | |
| Denominations | 3 rubles | |
| Materials | silver | |
| Types | one | |
| Varieties | 12 | |
| Years of coinage | 2003 - 2013 | |
| Status | coin issue completed | |
| Mint | MMD | |
The lunar calendar is a kind of calendar based on the period of the phases of the moon , that is, a synodic month .
The phase change of the moon is one of the most easily observed celestial phenomena. It is not surprising that many peoples at the early stage of their development used the lunar calendar. However, during the formation of a settled lifestyle, the lunar calendar ceased to satisfy the needs of the population, since agricultural work was tied to changing seasons, that is, the movement of the sun. Therefore, lunar calendars, with rare exceptions, were inevitably replaced by lunar-solar or solar calendars.
Release History
The series was launched in 2003, dedicated to one of the symbols of the Chinese lunar calendar - the goat. Every year (from 2003 to 2015) the series was replenished with a circulation of coins dedicated to one calendar symbol, that is, one type of coin per year. The exception was the release of coins by 2013 - the year of the snake. In this issue, two coins were minted, the obverse of the coins is identical, with the exception of the snake's eye - which on one of the coins is made in the form of an insert of stone.
Coins are classified as commemorative investment, all with a face value of 3 rubles, contain 31.1 grams (one troy ounce ) of silver. The silver sample has changed over time: coins of this series of 2003 and 2004 were minted from silver of the 900th test, and coins from 2005 to 2013 were minted from silver of the 925th test.
As of October 2013, in a series of 13 coins (including 2 versions of the 2012 coin with the image of a snake). The last coin dedicated to the Year of the Horse was issued.
About Coins
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the center of the disk is the emblem of the Bank of Russia (a two-headed eagle with its wings down, under it there is an inscription in a semicircle “BANK OF RUSSIA”), framed by a circle of dots and inscriptions in a circle - at the top: “THREE RUBLES”, below: on the left - designations of precious metal and sample alloy (“Ag 900” - silver of the 900th test), in the center - the year of manufacture, on the right - the content of chemically pure metal and the trademark of the mint. | A single obverse for coins of 2003 and 2004, accurate to the mint and the year of minting. | |
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the right is a profile image of a goat, on the left is a matted image of the moon crescent. | ||
| Goat - one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is a profile image of a monkey, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| Monkey - one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal no less than g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 900/1000 | 34.88 (± 0.32) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) | 15,000 |
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the center of the disk is the emblem of the Bank of Russia (a two-headed eagle with its wings down, under it there is an inscription in a semicircle “BANK OF RUSSIA”), framed by a circle of dots and inscriptions in a circle - at the top: “THREE RUBLES”, below: on the left - designations of precious metal and sample alloy (“Ag 925” - silver of the 925th test), in the center - the year of manufacture, on the right - the content of chemically pure metal and the trademark of the mint. | A single obverse for coins from 2005 to 2013, accurate to the mint and the year of minting. | |
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the profile image of a rooster, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The rooster is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of the head of the dog, on the right is the matted image of the crescent. | ||
| The dog is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In a circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a wild boar, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| Boar - one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal no less than g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 925/1000 | 33.94 (± 0.31) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) | 15,000 |
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, in the center is the image of a rat, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The rat is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In a circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a bull, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The bull is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal no less than g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 925/1000 | 33.94 (± 0.31) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) | 20,000 |
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, in the center is the image of a tiger, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The tiger is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal no less than g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 925/1000 | 33.94 (± 0.31) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) | 15,000 |
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a rabbit, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| Rabbit is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a dragon, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The dragon is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal no less than g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 925/1000 | 33.94 (± 0.31) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) | 20,000 |
| Picture | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a snake curled into a ball, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The snake is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| In the circle framed by a solid rim, on the left is the image of a snake curled into a ball with an eye in the form of a crystal insert, on the right is a matted image of a crescent. | ||
| The snake is one of the 12 symbols of the lunar calendar. | ||
| Face value | Quality | Metal, test | Total weight, g | Chemically pure metal not less than, g | Diameter, mm | Thickness, mm | Circulation, PC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 rubles | proof | silver 925/1000 | 33.94 (± 0.31) | 31.10 | 39.00 (± 0.30) | 3.30 (± 0.35) |
|
Interesting Facts
A series of coins with images of animals - symbols of the Chinese lunar calendar are also issued by banks of some other countries.
- The Reserve Bank of Australia in 2004 put into circulation 999 silver coins with gilding, dedicated to the lunar calendar.
- Since 2006, the National Bank of Ukraine has been issuing a series of silver coins “ Oriental Calendar ”.
- In 2007, two coins were minted at the Moscow Mint at once: the Bull coin and the Rat coin.
- In 2012, two coins dedicated to the year of the Snake were minted at the Moscow Mint at once, one of which had the eye of a snake made in the form of an insert of stone.
- The coin, dedicated to the year of the snake, with an insert of stone, became the first coin in the history of modern Russian numismatics, in the manufacture of which a similar technology was applied. This is the first coin with a stone insert.
See also
- Commemorative coin
- List of Commemorative Coins of Russia
- The structure of the catalog number of coins of Russia