1 Rouble XXII Summer Olympic Games, Moscow 1980 - Emblem

The Moscow Olympics commemorative rouble series began production three years ahead of the Games, with the 1977-dated issues forming the first wave of what became a sprawling multi-year program spanning dozens of designs. Soviet authorities used the series aggressively as a hard-currency earner — the coins were sold through Vneshposyltorg to foreign collectors at prices well above face value, generating convertible currency the domestic ruble economy could not otherwise access. Most were never intended to circulate inside the USSR at all.

Nickel silver was chosen over cupro-nickel specifically to give the series a more prestigious appearance for export presentation sets.