Dedicated to the 70th anniversary of breaking the blockade of Leningrad20.01.2014

For the Saint-Petersburg Mint it was an order of special importance and special honor. In 1943 in the besieged city medals “For the Defense of Leningrad” were struck here, at the Mint in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The stock of the commemorative medals dedicated to the 70th anniversary of breaking the blockade is decorated with a moiré band of olive colour – of the colour of that famous military award.  
The artists of the Mint developed the design of the commemorative medal to be given to the inhabitants and defenders of the Besieged Leningrad living in Saint-Petersburg; they applied the image of the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island and the Rostral Columns. The fire on the Columns was carried out with the help of organic enamels.  
The commemorative medals to be given to the inhabitants and defenders of the besieged Leningrad living in the Leningrad Region feature the monument symbolizing the broken ring of the blockade.
On the reverse side of the commemorative medals there is an inscription “In honor of the 70th anniversary of complete release of Leningrad from the fascist blockade” and a laurel twig. In the bottom of the medal there is a raster security element in the shape of a wavelike area with relief matted figures “1944” and “2014” observed in turns with the change of the viewing angle to the medal surface.  
Among those who received the commemorative medals dedicated to the 70th anniversary of breaking the blockade, there are veterans of the Branches of Goznak, including Valentina Trofimovna Gershunina, former Chief Accountant of the Saint-Petersburg Mint, now an activist of the public organization “Residents of the besieged Leningrad”.
We would like to remind that at the end of last year 170 “Winner of the blockade of Leningrad” commemorative medals were manufactured at the Saint-Petersburg Mint. These medals were produced under the order of the Moscow public organization of the defenders and inhabitants of the besieged Leningrad. It was decided to make the medal on the red stock decorated with a refined laurel twig. The image of fireworks and the “Broken Ring” monument were struck on the medal. “To the winner of the blockade of Leningrad” inscription was also engraved on it.