1 Rouble Start of Russian Moon Research Program

Issued under Russia's ongoing commemorative science and space program, this rouble marks the revival of Soviet-era lunar ambitions through the Luna-Glob project — a robotic mission intended to land near the south pole of the Moon and resume surface research for the first time since Luna 24 touched down in 1976. The carbon composite flan is itself part of the story: Bank of Russia has employed unconventional substrate materials in its commemorative series specifically to draw collector attention to technological themes.