100th Anniversary of the Birth of V.P. Chkalov

Obverse

in the centre – the Emblem of the Bank of Russia [the two-headed eagle with wings down, lower – the semicircular inscription – «БАНК РОССИИ» (BANK OF RUSSIA)] framed by a circle of dots and inscriptions alongthe rim: at the top – «ДВА РУБЛЯ» (TWO RUBLES), at the bottom – the year of issue «2004», the letters tothe left indicate the metal sign and the fineness, to theright – the fine metal content and the mint trade mark.

Reverse

to the left, against the background of the non-stop flight route Moscow – the North Pole – Vancouver (USA) – the airplane and inscriptions in two lines: at the top –«США ВАНКУВЕР» (USA VANCOUVER), at the bottom «МОСКВА СССР «(MOSCOW USSR), to the right – a portrait of V.P.Chkalov and the dates in twolines «1904-1938», the inscription at the bottom alongthe rim – «В.П.ЧКАЛОВ» (V.P.CHKALOV).

Authors

The artist: A.V. Baklanov.
The sculptors: E.A. Tolzyn..
Moscow Mint (МMД).
The edge: 195 corrugations

Valery Pavlovich Chkalov (b.1904 – d.1938) – test pilot, the Hero of Soviet Union (1936), who developed some new stunts. In 1936-1937 he completed non stop flights from Moscow to Island Udd (nowIsland Chkalov in the Far East), and from Moscow to Vancouver (USA) via the North Pole both with the team consisting of G.F.Baydukov and A.V.Belyakov. Chkalov was gone by testing a new fighter.