Paying money in the market and in stores has become a common thing. It’s even impossible to imagine how a person would live without money. Sometimes the question arises: how did people pay before? When did the first coin appear in Russia? What was she like?
Ancient coins of Russia
Do not think that in ancient times there were already ours - Russian money. It all started with something. On the territory where the principality of Kiev settled, archaeologists found the most ancient coins - Roman dinars. Their release dates from a period of four hundred to hundreds of years BC. And it is unlikely that this money was spent to purchase or sell goods.
The very first coins in Russia - metal circles with fancy designs, most likely, were used as elements in jewelry.
At that time, ships and caravans of goods passed by, as Russia was away from major trade routes. On its territory, people used in kind exchange.
Universal equivalent
After the cities began to grow and settlements appeared more and more, it became necessary to introduce some universal analogue of the cost of any goods. This greatly facilitated exchange activities.
Foreign small coins at that time were called words understandable to a Russian person:
- “Kuna” is the conversion of a dirham or a denarius. According to one version, the name of money is believed to have come from the exchange equivalent - the stigmatized valuable marten fur. And in another English word coin ("coin") is translated as a coin.
- Vekshi is an analogue of a modern penny. Its other names are squirrel, veveritsa. When a small silver coin was used, a well-crafted squirrel skin was considered its “natural” counterpart. Old chronicles tell that the ancient tribute from some tribes was only “one squirrel or a coin from a single house”.
- “Rezana” are monetary units for a more accurate calculation. Kunya skins were cut into rags, customized to a certain cost of goods. Such flaps were called "rezanami." Since the skin of a marten and the Arab dirham were considered equivalent, a coin was also crushed into pieces. In found treasures, half or a quarter of dirhams are often found. These first coins of ancient Russia were of great denomination, and it was inconvenient to pay with them in general during small transactions.
- "Legs." A small change coin, its name comes from the Estonian word nahat, which means "fur". Perhaps the legs were "attached" to the fur.
The origins of money in Russia lead to the times when foreign money went on this territory, but everything has changed since the 10th century. Russia has become a powerful state with its foundations, religion, culture and money.
Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko - the beginning of Russian statehood
The reign of the Grand Duke was marked by the release of the first coins in Russia from precious metals. The dirhams of the Arab caliphate, called "kuns", revolved on the territory of the state thanks to Arab merchants. But in the 10th century, coins with Arabic script stopped circulating. The reign of Vladimir introduced a new faith into the Russian Principality, as well as new trade and economic ties. Everything had to the creation of a new monetary unit:
- the baptism of Russia in 988;
- brilliant victories;
- wonderful relationship with Byzantium.
This strengthened the country and was a great start in the history of the emergence of banknotes.
Making the first coins
It was planned for a long time to create their own coins in Russia, but they managed to realize the idea only at the court of Prince Vladimir. On the coins, the characteristic features of the Arabic and Byzantine decoration are seen.
The first minting of coins in Russia was made of precious metals. They bore the appropriate names:
- Serebryaniki. Available in two forms. At first, the coin was very similar to the Byzantine solid. Obverse adorned the Grand Duke of Kiev, on the reverse - Jesus Christ. After some time, instead of the face of the Messiah, the princely coat of arms of Rurik flaunted - a trident. The material for making the first silver coins in Russia was silver from the remelting of dirhams. Such money had a whole coin range from 1.7 to 4.7 grams.
- Spools. Weighed a gold coin of almost four grams. In appearance she looked like silver. This rare and expensive coin was released in a limited edition. After the reign of Vladimir, silver money was fixed in circulation, and they ceased to be smelted from gold.
On the coins minted by Svyatopolk and Yaroslav the Wise in Novgorod, a princely trident or trident was depicted as a symbol of power. But soon in 1019 under Yaroslav the Wise, the first coin of Kievan Rus depreciated and three decades later, after its inception, was no longer minted.
Non-cash period
After the Mongol-Tatars defeated Kiev, it was not possible to produce coins. Igo foreigners blocked cash flows to Russian lands and reduced all trade to naught. Foreign economic relations were quickly lost.
The delivery of gold and silver to Kievan Rus ceased, but there was no production of it yet. The 13th century was difficult for the principality. Zlatniks and silversmiths disappeared, some items remained for small trade, unfortunately, they had no political weight. But it was in the XIII century that a new monetary unit appeared.
Ruble
Precious metal ingots of various shapes began to enter the circulation, among which a rectangular silver ingot was noticeably different. A rough scar seam was clearly visible on it, and the ends were chopped off along the edges of the ingot. Hence the name - the ruble. Its face value was ten hryvnias kun. The sizes of the ingots were different both in weight and in size. It was crushed into coins of small payment units. In other words, chopped into pieces:
- half an ingot - called a half;
- the fourth part is a quarter;
- the tenth part is a dime.
Small solvent units — money — were made from the ruble. These are the first coins in Russia in the Renaissance and they meant “sonorous”. In addition to silver money, copper pools were also produced, which were also full and solvent.
Hryvnia
Sometimes the occurrence of coins in Russia is counted from the appearance of the hryvnia. Initially, it was not a coin. Human wealth was measured in the number of herds of horses. Where the latter symbolized a wallet, and each horse - a bargaining chip. The amount of silver that is enough to purchase a horse (“buying mane”) was called “hryvnia”.
Another version says that this word takes roots from female jewelry on the neck, and over time has become a certain measure of weight in the form of an ingot. The first coins in Russia in different areas of the state looked different:
- Kiev hryvnia XI-XIII century were in the form of an elongated rhombus with narrow ends. The weight of the ingot was 160 grams.
- Chernihiv hryvnia had the form of a regular rhombus of the region, the edges of which were sharp. Weight - 196 grams.
- In the Volga region in the XIII-XIV centuries, catfish were in circulation. Such ingots had an oblong shape in the form of a boat, their mass - not more than 200 grams.
- The hryvnia of Lithuania of the XII-XIV centuries resembled sticks with indentations across.
- The Novgorod hryvnia of the XII-XIV centuries was like elongated bars. Weight - 200 grams.
In the 15th century, many mints appeared in fragmented Russia. There were at least 20. Each yard issued its own coin, which confused the merchants, as they were different:
- forms;
- Images;
- material;
- sizes.
All this impeded the development of trade and economic relations. Monetary policy reform was needed. Russian lands united in a single state, monetary reform was introduced in 1534, which brought clarity to the structure of money circulation.
Mint Development
Under the reign of Ivan and Vasily III, the reunification of individual principalities took place, this led to the birth of the Moscow state and became a major milestone in development:
- stories;
- economics;
- international relations.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, coins with a uniform plot and form were established in circulation in the state. The mother of Ivan the Terrible - Elena Glinskaya successfully carried out a money reform, where three stable denominations were approved:
- Penny - 0.68 g, it depicts a rider with a spear.
- Denga - 0.34 g (half a dope), there was a rider with a saber.
- Half - 0.17 g (quarter), a bird is drawn on the coin.
Pre-Petrov wire coins were also made. At this time, the first gold coins appeared in Russia with the name of Shuisky Vasily Ivanovich. And on the money and kopeks the name of Vladislav Zhigimontovich was found.
Gold coins had the following denominations:
- penny - ten silver pennies;
- denga - five silver cents;
- gold in 1/4 of Ugric Alexei Mikhailovich was used to reward the military.
A lot of time will pass and the money will change, depreciate, or vice versa, but to this day they are an important element of a civilized society. They reflect the political structure, religion and historical changes.