The Central Bank of Russia is marking 75 years since it set up a Soviet nuclear industry. In typical Russian style, it had an epic name – First Chief Directorate under the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union. Creating weapons first – a sign of the times – and then moving into general technological applications, they were the first to build a power station and a nuclear-powered icebreaker ship. They claim that Russia’s nuclear power stations provide almost 20% of the countries power, without carbon emissions.

The coin is a typical CBR design, being very ‘matter of fact’ in presentation. There’s no mistaking what this is about, but it does so with little artistic flair. That’s a shame as Russian ice-breakers are amazing things to see. The design incorporates ‘the Arktika nuclear-powered icebreaker, the Novovoronezh nuclear power station and the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power station against the background of a stylised picture of the model of the atom’. Just the number 75 is coloured.

It’s a proof finish, one-ounce sterling silver coin with a 3,000 mintage. The beautiful bicephalous eagle obverse is here, of course, and it has a 3 Ruble denomination. An interesting subject that the CBR has visited before, but one we feel deserved a bit more of an adventurous approach.

LINKS: PREVIOUS RUSSIAN RELEASE WITH NUCLEAR THEME