Empress Catherine II St Petersburg Mining University, Saint Petersburg, Russia:

V. Yu. Bazhin, Head of Metallurgy Department1, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, e-mail: bazhin_vyu@pers.spmi.ru
A. P. Suslov, Vice Rector for Operation and Development of the Property Complex
O. A. Gorshkova, 4^th Year Student at the Faculty of Minerals Processing

This paper looks at the structure and properties of the Silver Rouble produced at the Saint Petersburg Mint in 1823 under the leadership of münzmeister Pavel Danilov, the Mining Military School (Mining University) graduate. The study was carried out on high-technology equipment of the research centres owned by Empress Catherine II St Petersburg Mining University. For the first time, the structure of the silver coins was examined at the nanolevel by the X-ray diffraction method with the help of a scanning electron microscope. New data were obtained about the structure and the distribution of impurities, which give an insight into the silver mint processes of the time. Changed hardness detected at certain areas of the silver coin surface indicates a deviation in the chemical composition of the reverse versus the obverse. The authors also looked at ore samples from the Nerchinsk deposit, as well as silver items stored in the coin chamber of the Mining Museum. This research was carried out as part of the research initiative: Historical and Cultural Heritage of Russia and Promotion of Scientific Knowledge.

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