ROYAL DYNASTY EXHIBITION TO OPEN IN THE KREMLIN

MOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti) - In May unique treasures of the royal dynasty from the collection of the Russian State Depository for Precious Metals and Gemstones will for the first time be put on public view. The Kremlin's Grand Palace will house the exhibition of coronation treasures of the Russian imperial court from the depository collection, RIA Novosti learnt from the chief of the center for public and the press relations of the Federal Protection Service, Sergei Devyatov.

Throughout its history the Russian State Depository for Precious Metals and Gemstones has been toughly keeping Russia's treasures.

The Russian state valuables fund began with Peter the Great's decree of December 11 (22), 1719, fixing coronation regalia as "state-owned belongings".

Under the decree, the Kammer Collegium was established. Its rules cited a long list of valuables and specified their keeping procedure in the specially arranged Royal Treasury.

In this way, Peter the Great's decree juridically sealed the treasury as the Russian State Valuables Fund. Later, it was called the Diamond Chamber, gathering marvels from around the world and articles of Russian court jewellers.

In 1920 the decree of the People's Commissars Council established the State Treasury of Valuables of the People's Commissariat for Finance (GOHRAN) for "the centralization, keeping and accounting of all the valuables belonging to the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic).

Throughout its existence, the GOHRAN was subordinated to different ministries and departments, which has left an imprint on its work. But it still remains the only organization unprecedented in significance in the keeping and multiplying of Russia's treasures.