3 Rubles – Russian Federation
Non-circulating coins
Commemoration: Year of Preservation of the Environment in Russia
Russia
Context
Year: 2013
Country: Russia 
Issuer: Russian Federation
Period:
(since 1991)
Currency:
(since 1998)
Total mintage: 5,000
Material
References
Numista: #57336
CBR: #5111-0271
Value
Exchange value: 3 RUB
Bullion value: $87.46
Inflation-adjusted value: 8.37 RUB
Obverse
Description:
Center: Bank of Russia emblem (two-headed eagle with wings down, over semicircular "БАНК РОССИИ"), within a dotted circle. Rim inscriptions: top - "ТРИ РУБЛЯ"; bottom left - metal and fineness, center - year, right - metal content and mint mark.
Inscription:
ТРИ РУБЛЯ
БАНК РОССИИ
• Ag 925 • 2013 г. • 31,1 ММД •
БАНК РОССИИ
• Ag 925 • 2013 г. • 31,1 ММД •
Translation:
THREE RUBLES
BANK OF RUSSIA
• Ag 925 • 2013 • 31.1 SPMD •
BANK OF RUSSIA
• Ag 925 • 2013 • 31.1 SPMD •
Language: Russian
Designer and engraver: Alexander Vasilyevich Baklanov
Reverse
Description:
A man with a hat, shovel, tree, and house reflects as a man in a gas mask, factory, and industrial structure.
Inscription:
2013 ГОД ОХРАНЫ ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ В РОССИИ
Translation:
2013 YEAR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN RUSSIA
Script: Cyrillic
Language: Russian
Engraver: Alexander Ivanovich Molostov
Designer: Sergey Kozlov
Edge
300 corrugations
Mints
| Name | Mark |
|---|---|
| Moscow Mint | (ММД) |
Mintings
| Year | Mint Mark | Mintage | Quality | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | ММД | 5,000 | Proof |
Historical background
In 2013, the Russian ruble exhibited relative stability, marking a period of calm before the significant volatility that would characterize the following years. The currency traded in a managed float within a dual-currency basket band (55% USD, 45% EUR) set by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). This stability was underpinned by high global oil prices, which averaged over $100 per barrel for much of the year, ensuring strong foreign currency inflows from hydrocarbon exports. Consequently, Russia maintained substantial foreign exchange reserves, exceeding $500 billion, which provided a robust buffer against external shocks and allowed the CBR to intervene smoothly to curb excessive fluctuations.
However, underlying structural vulnerabilities and external pressures were mounting beneath this stable surface. The Russian economy was experiencing a pronounced slowdown, with GDP growth decelerating to just 1.3% for the year, its weakest pace since the 2009 global financial crisis. This stagnation was driven by a lack of investment, poor productivity growth, and a deteriorating business climate, highlighting the economy's deep dependence on commodity revenues. Furthermore, geopolitical tensions were beginning to simmer, with debates over Ukraine's potential association agreement with the European Union creating unease in financial markets, though the full-scale crisis was still ahead.
By the end of 2013, the ruble's stability was increasingly perceived as fragile and contingent on sustained high energy prices. The CBR was in a transitional phase, gradually widening the ruble's trading band as part of a long-stated policy move towards a free float, aiming to insulate its reserves and shift to inflation targeting. This period, therefore, represented the final chapter of relative calm, with the economy's fundamental weaknesses and looming geopolitical events setting the stage for the currency turbulence that would erupt in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea and the concurrent collapse in oil prices.
However, underlying structural vulnerabilities and external pressures were mounting beneath this stable surface. The Russian economy was experiencing a pronounced slowdown, with GDP growth decelerating to just 1.3% for the year, its weakest pace since the 2009 global financial crisis. This stagnation was driven by a lack of investment, poor productivity growth, and a deteriorating business climate, highlighting the economy's deep dependence on commodity revenues. Furthermore, geopolitical tensions were beginning to simmer, with debates over Ukraine's potential association agreement with the European Union creating unease in financial markets, though the full-scale crisis was still ahead.
By the end of 2013, the ruble's stability was increasingly perceived as fragile and contingent on sustained high energy prices. The CBR was in a transitional phase, gradually widening the ruble's trading band as part of a long-stated policy move towards a free float, aiming to insulate its reserves and shift to inflation targeting. This period, therefore, represented the final chapter of relative calm, with the economy's fundamental weaknesses and looming geopolitical events setting the stage for the currency turbulence that would erupt in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea and the concurrent collapse in oil prices.
💎 Extremely Rare