100 th Anniversary of Football in Russia

Obverse

the two-headed eagle designed by artist I. Bilibin. The inscriptions along the rim: at the top — «ОДИН РУБЛЬ 1997 г.» (ONE RUBLE 1997), at the bottom — «БАНК РОССИИ» (BANK OF RUSSIA). The letters below indicate the metal sign, the fineness, the fine metal content and the mint trademark.

Reverse

goalkeeper Alexei Khomich in the goal catching the ball in one of the matches between the team of Dynamo, Moscow, and an English team during the 1945 Great Britain tour. In the background – the Big Ben Tower in London and state flags of the USSR and Great Britain. At the top to the left – a contour of the tiger head against a background of the goal net (English fans gave Alexei Khomich nickname «Tiger» for his brilliant reaction and jumping abilities), below to the left – the Russian letter «Д» in the rhomb (the emblem of the sports society Dynamo). The Dynamo team won two matches and it was a draw in two others. The inscription at the bottom along the rim: «ТУРНЕ ПО ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ. 1945» (THE GREAT BRITAIN TOUR. 1945), at the top – «100-ЛЕТИЕ РОССИЙСКОГО ФУТБОЛА» (100 TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOOTBALL IN RUSSIA).

Authors

The artist: A.V. Baklanov
The sculptor: A.S. Kunats
St. Petersburg Mint (ЛМД)
The edge: 200 corrugations

The birthday of football in Russia is considered to be October 24th 1897 when the first football match took place in St. Petersburg between the teams of the football players’ circle of Vasileostrovski district and of the sport amateurs’ circle of St. Petersburg.