| Prior to the XIV century. The first Russian coins. |
Within the territory of modern Russia, Ukraine and Belarus silver coins with images of the Roman Emperors are found; these are Roman denaries of the 1st – 3rd centuries A.D. According to one version, these are the first coins, which appeared within the territory of Russia, though there is another opinion that the first coins were minted in the 5th century B.C. by Greek colonies at the Black sea. In the 8 – 9th centuries there appeared dirhems – big silver coins minted in Arabic Caliphate and brought to Russia by Arabic merchants. West European coins also called denaries, like Roman coins long ago, were also brought to Russia.
The rulers of Kiev issued their own coins according to the Byzantine model, starting from Vladimir the 1st (978 – 1015). Gold (zlatnik) and silver (srebrenik) coins were minted. Their main role was that of the state symbol, therefore they were not widely spread. Vladimir’s successor, prince Sviatopolk the Damned (1015 – 1019) minted only sprebreniks. Prince Yaroslav the Wise (1019 – 1054) did not mint own coins.
The period since the XII century till the end of the XIV century was the so-called “coinless” period in the history of Russia. Kiev Russia broke apart into separate princedoms, and minting of coins common for all stopped. Silver ingots (known as “Hryvnias”), “poltinas” (half a Hryvnia), jewellery as well as furs were used as means of payment. Hryvnias divided into parts were used as change equivalent for business. The ingot weight at first was 96 zolotniks (an old Russian weight measure equivalent to 4, 26 g). Later on, during the Tatar yoke a half of the 96-zolotnik Hryvnia became one of the standards for tribute gathering (“half a Hryvnia from a plough”), and that finally caused spreading of 48-zolotnik ingots as the main element of the money system. The 48-zolotnik standard, first accepted in Novgorod, was widely spread and remained in the minting practice of Russia for a few centuries. Foreign coins – at first Byzantine and Arabic, and later on Tatar – were also in use in Russia. The name of Tatar coins “Tenge” was finally accepted as the general term of money - “ dengi”.
In the XIII century alongside with Hryvnia, the name “Ruble” was used. That was the name of Novgorod Hryvnia, which represented a silver ingot of elongated shape and weighing approximately 200 g. Ruble was widely spread in Russia. There appeared Moscow Ruble, of the same weight and shape as Novgorod Ruble. West-Russian, or Lithuanian Rubles of the same shape but weighing 100-105 g were also widely used. In the XV century Ruble finally replaced Hryvnia in circulation.
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