# Russian Translation Help Needed

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 9, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286 "2011-05-09T15:55:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286/1 "2011-05-09T15:55:04Z")

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I found this [small piece of paper](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jAgQwIgF1_SYRWpe75YGHMUzJPdiPQxHcPBXuO_GndU?feat=directlink) inside a stone trinket box I purchased on eBay a couple of years ago, and I’ve always been curious about what it says. Since I don’t know any Russian, the only thing I recognize is “CCCP,” which I understand is the Russian equivalent of “USSR.”

I hope this scan is reasonably legible. The piece of paper is tiny, only about 1" by 1.25 inches, and has yellowed and faded.

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**Author:** ![Anaptyxis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anaptyxis/32/3171_2.png) [@Anaptyxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaptyxis)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286/2 "2011-05-09T16:53:17Z")

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Your box is from Kazakhstan, I believe. Here’s as much as I could figure out:

Geology Ministry USSR  
[the name of some factory/mining operation, with “Kaz” meaning Kazakh, “kvarts” meaning “quartz”]  
?? “Souvenir”  
City of Taldy-korgan [in Kazakhstan]

Name of manufacture [i.e. “what it is”]: shkatulka [a small box for keeping valuables]  
Material of origin: lazurite, nickel silver  
Code of manufacture:  
Article: [probably some model number]  
Retail price: 25 r. 0 k.  
[some kind of code or serial number, maybe a union registry number of some kind?]  
Date of manufacture: 03.86 [i.e. March 1986]  
Stamp ??? [I don’t know this acronym, probably some official Soviet bureaucratic stuff]

Hope this helps! I tried to figure out the dollar value of a 1986 ruble, but that’s way outside my area of expertise. 🙂

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**Author:** ![ToughLife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@ToughLife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToughLife)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286/3 "2011-05-09T16:58:03Z")

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Mingeo= Ministry of Geology (abr)  
Khazahsamocveti manufacturer name( Kazakh Gem Stones)  
P/p Cyvenir “souvenir” production facilities  
Naim.isdelia …product name  
Skatulka = box/cabinet  
Osn.material = material: azure stone/Melhior alloy  
Shifr izdelia : product code  
articul: stock number  
Roznichnaja cena :retail price (25 rubles)  
Cct25-643-78 standard number

Data izgotovlenia: production date (03/86)

Stamp OTK : seal/stamp of the quality control department

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**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286/4 "2011-05-09T17:15:30Z")

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Thanks so much, **Anaptyxis** and **ToughLife.** I really appreciate your help. I didn’t even know if the piece of paper had to do with the box, or just happened to be inside. (The seller was from the US.) I’m pleased that the box is from Kazakhstan, as I love to collect boxes from different countries, especially those I am unlikely to visit.

For the curious, [here is the box in question.](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BqbwFUXUXZiVkqX9jkVG3cUzJPdiPQxHcPBXuO_GndU?feat=directlink)

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**Author:** ![Anaptyxis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anaptyxis/32/3171_2.png) [@Anaptyxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaptyxis)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-needed/581286/5 "2011-05-09T18:33:34Z")

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Ah, thanks for the picture. Once I translated “lazurite/lapis” I was hoping to see what we were talking about!