Russian, Circular Dated Seal, St Petersburg Customs
Russian Eagle Seal, Image by StuE, Found by Adam & Lisa.
Found in Derbyshire, 16.2mm, 6.6g.
Small seal with thick (3.5mm) serrated edge. The Russian Imperial double-headed eagle appears on one side and on the other a possible date in the form of four separate numerals surrounding some central emblem, 1816? Cyrillic letters curve around the outer border.
From Paul Cannon, "This circular dated seal differs in several respects to all the others recorded on Bagseals and in Peacehaven [see CDS 01-04; IDS 331; 578 & 636 and IDS 259-263]. All of them are blank on the reverses, apart from the most recent example IDS 636. This Bagseal is different in having the Russian imperial eagle on the reverse. It’s inscription is also different to the basic ones which seem to occur on all the other circular dated seals. Another difference is that the legend is very clear and easy to read.
Clearly there are lots of abbreviations, some shortened to just single letters. Searching through several Russian websites I came across other circular dated seals (not relating to St Petersburg), which included the same abbreviations or close variations. Helpfully a few of the Russian contributors had expanded the legends. The most common ones I have seen are seals containing the place names ‘Kyakhta’ and ‘Irkutsk’, both of which are places in Eastern Siberia and close to the border with Mongolia and on routes into China.
КЯХТ.Т.ПРИ.ТО (plus date) expands to ‘КЯХТиская Таможня ПРИвозной ТОвар’. This also had the Russian imperial eagle on the reverse.
ИРКУТСK.Т.ПР.Т (plus date) can be expanded to ‘ИРКУТСKая Таможня ПРивозной Товар’. Again with the Russian imperial eagle on the reverse and the same meaning as above (but for Irkutsk).
This St Petersburg example is clearly of the same type and all are official custom seals and I suggest it can be expanded likewise to ‘С.П.Б. Таможня ПРИвозной Тoвар’ ie St Petersburg customs imported goods."
