The Münzkabinett in the New Hermitage

On 21 February 2002 an exhibition prepared by the Numismatic Department opened. It is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the New Hermitage. The exhibition features 412 items, including ancient Eastern and Western European coins and medals. The display in the Twelve-Column Hall represents only a small fragment of the collection of the Münzkabinett or Coin Cabinet. The Hermitage collection began in the reign of Catherine II. Since the 18th century the stocks have been enlarged through private collections, finds of coins and archaeological excavations. The fire in the Winter Palace in 1837 speeded the transformation of the Hermitage from a court museum into a museum open to the public. In the 19th century the Münzkabinett was allotted three rooms in the south-east part of the New Hermitage: the Coin (Large) Hall, the Twelve-Column Hall and the Raphael Loggias. The ancient collection, Western European coins and medals of the Modern Age and also the Russian stocks were displayed in the first two halls, Eastern coins and medals in the Raphael Loggias. To ensure the fullness of the collection, Nicholas I issued orders obliging all Russian mints to provide examples of their products. A numismatic library was also created. After the revolution of 1917, the stocks were enlarged from private collections that had been nationalized and items acquired from state institutions. A decree issued by Lenin reconfirmed Nicholas I's instructions about the museum receiving samples of new coins and medals. Between the First and Second World Wars the collection was exhibited actively. After the Nazi invasion the numismatics stocks were among the Hermitage collections evacuated to Sverdlovsk. After its return, the Numismatic Department was allocated rooms in the Winter Palace.

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Director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky and children at the opening ceremony of the exhibition

Festive Procession

Seals in the old modernized show-cases