Weapons Designer M.T. Kalashnikov – Centenary of his Birth (10.11.1919)

Obverse

the mirror field of the disc bears a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, over it along the rim there is the semicircular inscription "РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ" (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed on both sides by doubled rhombuses, below under the coat of arms there are indications of the precious metal and its fineness on the left and the fine metal content and the mint trade mark on the right, at the bottom in the centre, in three lines, there is an inscription "БАНК РОССИИ" (BANK OF RUSSIA), the denomination of the coin "2 РУБЛЯ" (2 RUBLES), and the year of issue "2019 г." (2019).

Reverse

the mirror field of the disc features a relief portrait of Mikhail Kalashnikov and the inscriptions ‘КОНСТРУКТОР ОРУЖИЯ’ (WEAPONS DESIGNER) at the top, ‘М.Т. КАЛАШНИКОВ’ (M.T. KALASHNIKOV) at the bottom, and the years of the designer’s birth and death in two lines ‘1919’ and ‘2013’ on the right.

Authors

The artists: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), O.G. Shepel (reverse).
The sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), O.G. Shepel (reverse).
Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint (СПМД).
The edge: 195 corrugations.

Discover more

Mikhail Kalashnikov (1919-2013) was a Soviet and Russian small arms designer who developed the world famous Kalashnikov (AK) assault rifle.

He was interested in mathematics and engineering since childhood, and during his service in the army he proved to be a talented arms designer. In 1945, he developed an assault rifle that was accepted for service by the Soviet Army two years later. In 1949, Izhevsk Machine-building Plant, where Kalashnikov was sent to work, started mass production of the AK-47, which has become, and still remains, the most popular assault rifle in the world due to the perfect combination of reliability and simplicity.

Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded multiple titles and decorations, including Hero of the Russian Federation (2009), Hero of Social Labour (1958 and 1976), Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called (1998). In 1949, for designing his assault rifle, he was awarded Stalin Prize and Order of the Red Star.