The founding date of the Saint Petersburg Mint is considered to be December 12, 1724. Initially, the "barracks for the distribution of minting" were located in the curtain between the Catherine (Naryshkin) and Trubetskoy bastions. From 1798 to 1806, a modern specialized building was constructed for the Mint; during its construction, production was carried out at the Bank Mint. A drawing by architect Antonio Porto has been preserved, according to which he is considered the author of the project.

In 1899, on the 175th anniversary of the enterprise, a commemorative medal was issued with a concise inscription: "Founded by the order of Emperor Peter I in 1724." At that time, by his personal decree, Peter the Great ordered "to make gold coins in the fortress of Saint Petersburg." That year, the abbreviation "s.p.b." appeared for the first time on ruble coins, becoming the identifying mark of Saint Petersburg minting until 1914.

The purpose of transferring coin production to Petersburg was to strengthen the city's status as the capital and to create a "decent model" for other similar productions. The "beginning of making gold coins in the Saint Petersburg fortress" was established by the decree of February 28, 1721. After the death of Peter I, production was temporarily closed (a process similar to the transfer of the royal court to Moscow), but it resumed in the late 1730s.

The Mint struck national gold, platinum, silver, and copper coins of all denominations, some coins from 1833–1841 with dual (Russian and Polish) denomination markings, as well as foreign coins: Dutch ducats (1768–1869) and Turkish piastres (1808–1809). It also struck a number of trial coin series as samples for peripheral mints (Tauride, Suzun, Tiflis), as well as trial nickel coins in 1911.

It participated in the mass recoinage of copper coins from 1762 and 1796, doubling their coin weight, as well as in the reverse recoinage of these coins to restore their previous coin weight. The reverse recoinage of the 1796 coins was carried out with special dies marked with the designation of the Yekaterinburg Mint.

It produced master dies for some domestic mints (Tauride, Helsingfors, and others), as well as for domestic and foreign enterprises that fulfilled orders from the Russian government for coin minting.

In addition to coin minting, numerous medal works were carried out at the Mint. Outstanding medallists worked here: in the 18th century — S. Yudin, T. Ivanov, V. Krayukhin; in the 19th century — A. A. Klepikov, A. P. Lyalin, and others. The Mint had a significant influence on the development of Russian technology. It is associated with the activities of scientists and inventors such as A. K. Nartov, I. A. Schlatter, I. A. Nevedomsky, P. G. Sobolevsky, B. S. Jacobi, and others. In the mid-18th century, a Laboratory for the Separation of Precious Metals was established here, which played an important role in the development of domestic chemistry and metallurgy of precious metals: gold, silver, platinum, palladium.

The Saint Petersburg Mint holds a central place in the development of coinage in Russia. From 1811 to 1918, this largest enterprise in the world was managed by mining engineers, mostly graduates of the Mining Cadet Corps (Mining Institute).

From 1876 to 1942, all types of state metal signs were produced here; technologies for mass production of orders, the firing of colored organic enamels, and many others were introduced.

In 1921, the minting of Soviet coins began at the Mint.

In August 1941, due to the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, most of the Mint's equipment was evacuated to Krasnokamsk and located in the premises of the Goznak paper factory. Due to the blockade of Leningrad and the enlistment of many Mint workers and employees into the people's militia, only about forty qualified workers were seconded to the newly established Krasnokamsk Mint, which was put into operation in October. The Krasnokamsk Mint did not meet the increased demand for orders and medals in terms of production capacity, and there was no possibility for its expansion. Therefore, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR instructed the People's Commissariat of Finance to create a Mint in Moscow, which was allocated production facilities on the territory of the Moscow Printing Factory.

On April 29, 1974, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the "Leningrad Mint" of Goznak of the Ministry of Finance of the USSR was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for achieved production successes and in connection with the 250th anniversary of its founding.

Currently, the Saint Petersburg Mint — the oldest enterprise of the Russian Goznak association — produces awards, orders and medals, commemorative (and until 2013 — also circulation) coins, including those made of precious metals, badges, and commemorative signs. Alongside state orders, the enterprise fulfills orders from private individuals and companies.

Sources:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg_Mint