On September 2, 1818, Goznak was founded as a response to the circulation of counterfeit money in Russia during the Patriotic War of 1812. Emperor Alexander I signed a decree to establish the Expedition for the Procurement of State Papers, the first domestic specialized enterprise in Russia to produce paper money, bonds, stamp paper, and other secured products.

The Expedition printed Russian banknotes as well as money for the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Finland, and payment stamps for the Russian-American Company. In 1919, it was reorganized into the Directorate of State Paper Manufacturing Factories, known as Goznak.

Today, JSC Goznak consists of eight branch enterprises, including printing factories, paper mills, mints, and a research institute. These facilities produce a variety of secured products such as banknotes, coins, passports, excise stamps, orders, medals, GSM cards, phone cards, and banking plastic cards.

The production capacity of Goznak allows for the annual production of 11,000 tons of secured banknote paper, 7 billion banknotes, 5 billion coins, up to 40 million passports, and between 30 to 45 million postage stamps, among other products.

Goznak plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and integrity of financial and identification documents in Russia. Its long history and modern production capabilities make it a key player in the production of secure products for both the government and private sector.