525th Anniversary of Afanasi Nikitin’s Voyage to India

Obverse

the two-headed eagle designed by artist I. Bilibin. The inscriptions along the rim: at the top — «ДВА РУБЛЯ 1997 г.» (TWO RUBLES 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

the picture of a traveler against a background of a Russian city on the riverside and an ancient boat. The inscription along the rim: «525 ЛЕТ ПУТЕШЕСТВИЮ АФАНАСИЯ НИКИТИНА В ИНДИЮ» (THE 525 TH ANNIVERSARY OF AFANASI NIKITIN’S VOYAGE TO INDIA).

Authors

The artists: I.M. Khamrayev, A.A. Kolodkin
The sculptors: I.M. Khamrayev, A.A. Kolodkin
Moscow Mint (ММД)
The edge: 195 corrugations

Afanasi Nikitin (? - 1474/1475) – merchant from the city of Tver and Russian traveler – in 1466 sailed from Tver down the River Volga, reached Derbent and Baku, then he sailed to Persia over the Caspian Sea. There he spent about one year. In 1469 he reached India over the Arabian Sea where he spent travelling three years. On his way back he visited Somalia, Persia, Masqat and Turkey. He crossed the Black Sea and arrived in Cafa (Feodossia) in 1472. He died near Smolensk on his way back to home. While travelling through India, Afanasi Nikitin made a close study of its population, public and state system, economy, religion, people’s every day life and nature. His travel notes «The 1466-1472 Voyage over The Three Seas» was translated into many foreign languages. Afanasi Nikitin accomplished his voyage 25 years before Vasco da Gama’s expedition had discovered its way to India.