Catalog
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| Issuer | Bank of Russia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 |
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| Reference(s) | Y#598, CBR#5219-0005, Schön#560 |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Cyrillic, Latin |
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| Reverse description | A finely detailed polar bear is depicted seated upright in the center of the field, rendered in high relief with naturalistic fur texture, facing slightly left toward the viewer. The Arctic landscape behind the bear features rocky terrain in the foreground, drifting ice floes and open sea in the middle ground, and rugged coastal cliffs to the right, while a sailing vessel and stylized waves appear to the lower left. Three birds in flight are shown in the upper right field. The Cyrillic conservation legend 'СОХРАНИМ НАШ МИР' (Protect Our World) arcs around the upper periphery, with 'СОХРАНИМ' to the left and 'НАШ МИР' to the right, rendered in a distinctive stylized script. |
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| Additional information |
Part of Russia's first dedicated wildlife bullion program, this issue was released as the Russian Federation was still assembling the legal and institutional framework for modern commemorative coinage — the Central Bank's authority over such programs had only been fully codified a few years prior. The polar bear series drew on Soviet-era precedent for nature-themed precious metal issues but reoriented them toward international bullion markets rather than domestic gift-giving channels.
The .999 fineness was a deliberate departure from the .900 standard common to Soviet-era gold coins, signaling alignment with global investment coin conventions then dominated by the Maple Leaf and Britannia.