The ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Coins Program launch was attended by the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia Georgiy Luntovskiy, Deputy Chairman of Sberbank of Russia Stanislav Kuznetsov, General Director of V/O Goznak Arkadiy Trachuk and Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko. The ceremony was also attended by famous Russian Olympians representing the different kinds of sports depicted on the Sochi 2014 coins. Two-times world champion Irina Slutskaya represented figure skating and two-times Olympic champion Svetlana Ishmuratova represented biathlon.

The themes and design of the Sochi 2014 coins reflect not only the Olympic events but also national peculiarities of Russia and the specifics of the Sochi 2014 Games region – particularly the unique city of Sochi itself. Nine savings coins of original rectangular form showing the Sochi 2014 mascots will also be issued. The coins design was developed by V/O Goznak of Russian in collaboration with the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 President and CEO, said, "The main peculiarity of the Sochi 2014 Coins Program is its all-Russian geography. Thanks to the way we are organising the program launch, every fourth citizen of Russia can become an owner of a little part of Olympic history.

"The experience of the Central Bank of Russia in creating successful coins programs and Sberbank’s wide regional network open unique possibilities for the Sochi 2014 Coins Program to have a real impact. I’m sure that it will become a bright part of the Sochi 2014 Games, which represent new Russia.”

The Coins program launch is one more step in the active development of the Sochi 2014 licensing program. The total value of licensing products sale with licensees’ selling prices may reach 500 million dollars. The Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee’s income from the licensing program may reach 30 million dollars.

At the launch ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Coin Programme, Irina Slutskaya, two-time World Figure Skating Champion, joined the Sochi 2014 team of ambassadors.

When announcing Irina Slutskaya as an Ambassador, Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, said:

"Irina has been with us since the very beginning of the Sochi 2014 Project, right back to the bidding stage. She is one of the most outstanding athletes in modern figure skating and a favourite among the Russian public. Irina is also an active public figure and a mother of two. So I think it is very fitting that today this outstanding, active and positive woman should be given the status of Sochi 2014 Ambassador."

The time and place at which Irina Slutskaya was given the title of Sochi 2014 Ambassador were not chosen at random. One of the silver coins presented at the opening ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Coin Programme depicts figure skating, which, in the eyes of the majority of Russians, is represented by Irina Slutskaya.

Speaking in front of guests at the ceremony, Irina Slutskaya said, "For me it is a great honour to become a Sochi 2014 Ambassador. In my new role I will put all my efforts into ensuring that the sports revival in Russia, fuelled by the Games, will help everyone to play sports, especially orphans who currently have almost no opportunities to train. I know that there are real little stars among these children, and they should definitely be discovered.

Irina Slutskaya is one of the most famous figure skaters in world single skating. Over her career she has twice been World Champion, she was the first in history to win the European Championships seven times and she holds more than 70 medals for various achievements.

Sochi 2014 Coins Program will continue a long tradition of coins issue dedicated to the Olympic Games. The first Olympic coin dates 510-500 B.C. The first contemporary Olympic coin was issued for the 1952 Games in Helsinki.

The Sochi 2014 Coins Program has been created in close collaboration with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (bank of issue) and the Sochi 2014 General Partner Sberbank of Russia (exclusive distributor of precious metals coins symbolic of the Sochi 2014 Games in Russia).

In 2011 the Sochi 2014 coins issue will be implemented in several stages.

From 15 April 2011, the following coins will be issued:

4 silver coins worth 3 rubles dedicated to the following kinds of sports: “Biathlon”, “Alpine skiing”, “Figure skating” и “Ice hockey”;

1 gold coin worth 1000 rubles showing the “Flora of Sochi” with an image of the ancient goddess Flora whose hair have a view of plants and flowers of Caucasus and Black Sea region, and a figure skater against a background of mountains.

1 commemorative coin worth 25 rubles which will have a circulation of 10 million coins and which shows the Sochi 2014 Games emblem against a background of mountains. This coin made from non-ferrous metal will be introduced into circulation by cash channels according to its value.

From 1 September 2011, the following coins will be issued:

1 silver coin worth 100 rubles showing “Russian winter”;

2 gold coins worth 50 rubles showing “Bobsleigh” and “Curling”.

Sochi Olympic coin featuring figure skating