Old Russian monetary system

For quite a long time, the fact has been noticed that treasures belonging to the period from the 9th to the 11th century contain quite a lot of fragments and scraps of coins. And this is not a coincidence at all, since there are treasures consisting entirely of small fragments. On such fragments, sometimes there are monetary legends, the names of rulers, dates of minting, and similar inscriptions.

When the coins correspond to some definite and well-known weight, then the seller who received them will simply calculate the amount of metal that the op receives from the proceeds of any goods, or from the services provided to them. Scales for weighing coins are necessary for him only to carry out a control check – no more. Continue reading →