Gold is the hardest currency in the world. It is with this metal that it is customary to calculate the country's savings. All states that at least think about tomorrow, are increasing their gold reserves. The Russian Federation is one of the leaders in its mass share. The gold reserve of Russia today is about 1,500 tons!
What is a gold reserve and why is it needed?
Gold rarely drops in price; on the contrary, it is constantly getting more expensive. In addition, it is less prone to the devastating consequences of the elements: it does not burn, it is not afraid of water, and does not deteriorate over time. What can not be said about paper money. Gold is as liquid as possible.
Therefore, having a sufficient amount of such a currency, you can not be afraid of any inflation and other financial shocks.
Russia's gold reserve is stored in the form of ingots weighing 10-14 kg. It should be noted that this is a very heavy metal, even heavier than lead, by about 20-25%, so it takes up little space. Although here it is necessary to take into account the fact that the ingots should not be in contact with each other, and a small distance is left between them. And they are covered with velvet fabric, protecting from scratches, so the volume of the room for its storage is greatly increased.
A bit of history
Since ancient times, mankind has noticed the unique properties and beauty of this metal. The first hardest world currency, the Darik Persian coin, was made of pure gold, as a result of which it could be used all over the world. Over time, the situation has not changed. Gold plays a huge role in the economic life of most states and in the international financial system.
Russia's gold reserve has been constantly changing: it was either increasing or almost disappearing, then revived. In the last years of the existence of the Russian Empire, there were almost 1,400 tons of drag in the treasury. metal. This stock was the largest in the whole world. However, after the Civil War and the difficult decade of the 20s, it decreased by 10 times! Fell to 150 tons! After that, Joseph Stalin took care of the accumulation of gold reserves. And in just over 10 years, he managed to achieve an absolute record in Russian history - 2800 tons. After his death, the amount of gold in the treasury began to decline gradually:
- 1945 - 2500 tons;
- 1964 – 1600;
- 1982 – 437;
- 1991 – 290.
As a result, Russia's gold reserves over 50 years (1941-1991) decreased by 10 times or by 2510 tons!
The dynamics of the gold reserve of modern Russia
So how much was the gold reserve of Russia in different years?
| Year | Dynamics |
| 1992 | no data for this year |
| 1993 | there is a slight increase, 317 tons |
| 1994 | sharp reduction by 55 tons, up to 261.8 tons |
| 1995 | 292 tons |
| 1996 | significant increase, up to 419 tons |
| 1997 | 507 tons |
| 1998 | another decrease to 458 tons |
| 1999 | the decrease in stock continues - 414 tons |
| 2000 | 384 t. |
| 2001 | increase to 423 tons |
| 2002 | volume is 388 tons |
| 2003 | Russia's gold reserve - 390 tons |
| 2004 | 387 tons - a three-year reduction in stock begins |
| 2005 | 386.68 tons |
| 2006 | a slight decrease - 386.52 tons |
| 2007 | this year was marked by the beginning of a continuous ten-year growth in gold reserves - 400 tons |
| 2008 | 457 t. |
| 2009 | more than thirty-year record was broken - 532 tons. |
| 2010 | 676 t. |
| 2011 | 811 tons |
| 2012 | 896 t. |
| 2013 | 981 tons |
| 2014 | 1040 t. |
| 2015 | 1207 tons |
| 2016 | Russia's gold reserve for today - 1446 tons |
The table clearly shows how the indicator of interest to us has changed since the collapse of the Union.
Where is the gold reserve of Russia stored?
2/3 of the total stock are stored in Moscow and are located in the Central Bank of Russia. The total area of the premises is 17 thousand square meters. m, although the department for the direct placement of gold takes only 1,500 square meters. m
The amount of precious metal, similar to that of Russia’s gold reserve, is nowhere else in the country.And it is natural that this is the most protected place in the state. It uses the most advanced security systems. Among other things, personal responsibility for safety is imposed on employees, therefore, it is in their interest to fulfill their responsibilities responsibly. In the event of the loss of gold, employees not only must return all the missing, they are also subject to criminal penalties.
In the Russian Federation, the president himself is dealing with this issue, it was he who instructed the Central Bank to increase the purchase of yellow metal from gold mining enterprises. This allowed, firstly, to support local industrialists, and secondly, to increase state reserves of this metal. The gold reserve of Russia in the last decade is growing rapidly and is approaching the mark of 1.5 thousand tons. Many financial analysts suggest further growth. According to their forecasts, in 5-6 years it will be identical to US reserves. And this is as much as 8,000 tons. The largest reserves in the world.