Rear Admiral Alexander Mozhaisky, Timed to the 200th Anniversary of his Birth

Obverse

a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, above it along the rim the inscription in a semicircle ‘РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ’ (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed with paired diamonds on both sides, under the coat of arms are the chemical symbol and fineness of the metal on the left and fine metal content and the mint mark on the right, at the bottom centre in three lines are the inscription ‘БАНК РОССИИ’ (BANK OF RUSSIA), the coin denomination ‘2 РУБЛЯ’ (2 RUBLES), and the year of issue ‘2025 г.’ (2025).

Reverse

a relief image of Alexander Mozhaisky’s portrait; the images of aircraft technical drawings and clouds, laser treated for matte finishing; relief inscriptions: ‘А.Ф. МОЖАЙСКИЙ’ (ALEXANDER MOZHAISKY) at the top around the circumference, ‘1825’ and ‘1890’ in two lines on the right, and a part of a quote ‘Я желал быть полезным своему Отечеству…’ (I wished to be of service to my Homeland…) in three lines at the top, laser treated for matte finishing.

Authors

Designers: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), A.D. Schablykin (reverse).
Sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), A.N. Bessonov (reverse).
Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint (СПМД).
Edge: 195 corrugations.

Discover more

Alexander Mozhaisky (1825–1890) was a rear admiral (1886) and the inventor of the world’s first aeroplane.

Following his transfer to the civil service, Navy captain-lieutenant Alexander Mozhaisky lived on the Kotelnikovo Estate near Vologda from 1862 to 1869. He held the position of assistant to the justice of the peace to implement the emancipation reform (aimed at abolishing serfdom) in the Vologda Governorate. It is here that Alexander Mozhaisky started working on creating a heavier-than-air aircraft.

On 3 November 1881, the Department of Trade and Manufactures granted an aeroplane patent to first rank captain Mozhaisky. A life-size flying machine was constructed in Krasnoye Selo near St Petersburg. Mozhaisky’s aeroplane was the first aircraft to reach the flight test phase and an important milestone in aeronautical engineering.

Alexander Mozhaisky once wrote ‘I wished to be of service to my Homeland…’ in a letter to Konstantin Zverev, Administrator of the Engineering Committee of the General Engineering Department. These words might be considered his life motto.

The information and images were provided by the Vologda State Museum-Reserve.