Russia Bronze Medal 1717 (Novodel late 18th - 19th century) - On the Establishment of the Collegia, 20 December 1717 - Peter I (1682–1725)

47.39g. 48mm. UNC/UNC. 

Medalier: Timofey Ivanov (obverse, • Т • I • in truncation), copy of Müller's dies. 

Diakov 53.7 (Ar - R1). 

Obv.: Bust of Peter I facing right, wearing a laurel wreath tied with a ribbon; armor decorated with arabesques. 

Inscription around: 

PETRVS . ALEXII . FIL . D . G . RVSS . IMP . М . DVXMOSCOVIÆ 

(Peter, son of Alexis, by the Grace of God, Emperor of Russia, Grand Duke of Moscow). 

Below the truncation: 

• Т • I • 

(Initials of Timofey Ivanov). 

Rev.: An eagle facing left toward the rising sun, seated in a nest with eaglets, between a dry and a flourishing branch of a tree. 

Inscription around: 

ДОБРОДЕТЕЛЬ • ТВОРИТЪ • БЛАГОДȢШНА 

(Virtue brings forth prosperity). 

Below the exergue: 

ANNO • 1717 • D • | 20 DEZ 

(The year 1717 from the birth of Christ, 20 December). 

This medal commemorates the establishment of the collegia, or government ministries, by Peter the Great as part of his sweeping administrative reforms. Inspired by the Swedish model, the reform replaced the old prikazy (chanceries) with specialized colleges that oversaw key areas of governance such as foreign affairs, war, justice, commerce, and finance. The reform marked a shift toward a more rationalized and bureaucratic state structure. The allegorical reverse with the eagle and its young evokes the image of a wise and nurturing sovereign, while the dry and blooming branches symbolize the contrast between decay and renewal brought about through virtuous rule. The rising sun signifies a new era of enlightened governance in Russia.