Three hundred years ago, Vitus Bering, a Russian officer and explorer, embarked on a scientific expedition commissioned by Peter the Great. The mission aimed to explore Northwestern Russia and search for an isthmus or strait between Asia and America. To commemorate this event, the Bank of Russia will issue a 3-ruble silver commemorative coin on March 26, 2025. This coin is part of the Historical Events series.
The 3-ruble silver coin has a fine metal content of 31.1 grams with a fineness of 925/1,000. It is round in shape and measures 39.0 mm in diameter. Both sides of the coin feature a relief rim around the circumference.
On the obverse side, there is a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation along with inscriptions that include “РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ” (RUSSIAN FEDERATION), “БАНК РОССИИ” (BANK OF RUSSIA), and other details such as denomination, year of issue (2025), chemical symbol according to Mendeleev’s Periodic Table, fineness, Saint Petersburg Mint trademark, and fine metal content.
The reverse side displays the ship Saint Gabriel navigating waves against a map background depicting the Kamchatka Expedition route. A symbolic wind rose appears on the right side. The inscriptions include “БОТ СВ. ГАВРИИЛ” (SHIP ST GABRIEL) on the left and “ПЕРВАЯ КАМЧАТСКАЯ ЭКСПЕДИЦИЯ В. БЕРИНГА” (THE FIRST KAMCHATKA EXPEDITION LED BY VITUS BERING) at the bottom within a cartouche. Dates “1725” and “1730” flank this cartouche. The images are presented in relief while parts like American territory and expedition route are laser treated for matte finishing.
The edge of this proof-quality coin is corrugated with a mintage limited to 3,000 pieces. As legal tender in Russia, it must be accepted for all payments at face value without restrictions.
