The mint was one of the first industrial enterprises in Saint Petersburg. In 1724, Peter I ordered gold coins to be minted in Peter and Paul Fortress, moving production from Moscow. At first, money was minted in Trubetskoy Bastion, then the workshops were moved to Naryshkin Bastion.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Saint Petersburg Mint received a separate building on the fortress grounds. Looking at the elegant classical structure with a wide pediment and arched windows, it is hard to believe that behind its walls the life of a major industrial enterprise is in full swing.
The mint began its work by producing state coins of various denominations, medals, and orders. In the past, money was also minted here for other countries: ducats for the Netherlands, piastres for Turkey, as well as commemorative coins and awards.
During the 1917 Revolution, the mint was evacuated to Yekaterinburg, and then suspended its activities altogether until the monetary reform of 1922-24. However, before the Great Patriotic War, the Leningrad Mint was once again one of the largest enterprises of its kind in all of Europe.
Today, the Saint Petersburg Mint is one of the eight branches of Goznak. Awards, orders, medals, commemorative coins, and badges are produced here.
