Russia Tin-Alloy Medal 1703 (Novodel late 18th - 19th century) – In Commemoration of the Opening of Navigation in the Baltic Sea – Peter I the Great (1682–1725)

35.28g. 48mm. AU/AU. Some spots. 

Medaliers: Timofey Ivanov (on obverse, • T • I • in the truncation of the bust), Alexander Mushnikov (on reverse, A • M to the left above the shell). 

Copy of Müller’s dies from the second half of the 18th century. 

Diakov 18.17. 

Obv.: Laureate bust of Peter I in armor and cloak, facing right.  

Inscription around:  

PETRVS . ALEXII . FIL . D . G . RVSS . IMP . M . DVXMOSCOVIÆ   

(Peter, son of Alexis, by the grace of God Russian Emperor and Grand Duke of Moscow).  

Rev.: Neptune holding a trident rides the sea in a shell-shaped chariot drawn by three hippocamps.  

Inscription around: 

FINNIA ESSE TRIDENTEM 

(Finland receives the trident).  

This medal commemorates the founding of the city of St. Petersburg by Peter the Great on 16 May 1703. Established as a fortress on the Neva River during the Great Northern War, the city symbolized Russia’s access to the Baltic Sea and its rising status as a European power.  

In the Russian Empire, tin-lead alloy medals were primarily produced for collectors and educational use. The soft metal reduced wear on dies, making it ideal for limited or repeat strikes, while also lowering production costs. These medals were well-suited for study collections and displays, and offered collectors a more affordable way to acquire rare types with preserved visual and historical detail.