Chervonets (: chervontsy) is the traditional Russian name for large foreign and domestic gold coins. The name comes from the Russian term червонное золото (chervonnoye zoloto), meaning 'red gold' (also known as rose gold)the old name of a high-grade gold type.
Originally, this gold coin was identical to the gold ducat of 3.5 grams, 98.6% fine gold. The first known chervonets of Russian coinage was the Ugric gold; it was created in the 15th century under Ivan III. Sometimes, chervonets were considered any large gold coin, including imperial and semi-imperial coins.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, banknotes were often referred to as chervonets with the value of ten units (for example, rubles, hryvnia, euro, etc.). This is due to the initiation of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic during the monetary reform of 1922–1924 banknotes, or chervonets. They were provided with the same amount of gold that was contained in a coin of 10 rubles during the reign of Nicholas II. A small percentage of gold coins were issued in denominations of one chervonets with a picture of a peasant on the front and a coat of arms of the RSFSR on the back. According to the weight characteristics (8.6 g of 900 samples) and the size of the coin, the chervonets completely matched the pre-revolutionary coin of 10 rubles.
Chervontsy in the Russian Empire Ducats of foreign coinage In 1252, Florence, Italy issued a gold coin of 3.537 grams, which was soon called the florin. A similar coin, the genovino, began to be minted in Genoa, Italy. In 1284, Venice followed by example; these coins are known as ducats (from the 16th century, they became known as the sequin). They first weighed a little more than florins, but shortly after became equal to them. Soon, the name "ducat" was well established all over Europe as a synonym for a high-quality gold coin weighing about 3.5 grams. Imitations of the ducat were minted in almost all European countries, some even up to modern times. The basic types of these imitations were: Hungarian, German, and Dutch. The first Hungarian imitation was well known in Eastern Europe and Russia, thus becoming the prototype of the Polish zloty, Russian gold (chervonets), and also Hungarian forint. In Germany, imitations of cechinas and florins were originally called gulden (later Goldgulden), but because of a rapid decrease in weight, there was a need to return to the prototype in 1559 and the name "ducat" was accepted (silver coins began to be called guldens and florins). Dutch ducats began to be minted relatively late (only in 1586), but in such quantities that in the 17th and 18th centuries they became one of the most important coins of world trade. Some countries (in particular, Austria) minted ducats before the First World War.CH, 1993, <<ДУКАТ>>, <<ФЛОРИН>>, <<ЦЕХИН>>, <<ЧЕРВОНЕЦ>>, <<золотой>>, <<ЗЛОТЫЙ>>, <<ФОРИНТ>>, <<ГУЛЬДЕН>>, <<ГОЛЬДГУЛЬДЕН>>, <<ТОРГОВЫЙ ДУКАТ>>HC, 1980, «Дукат», «Флорин», «Цехин», «Червонец», «Злотый», «Форинт», «Гульден», «Золотая кроновая валюта».
Chervontsy of Russian coinage Beginning with Ivan III until Peter the Great, gold coins that were minted were known as chervontsy or chervony, but they were used mainly as award medals. Depicted on them were either a two-headed eagle on both sides or a tsarist portrait and a two-headed eagle.Х. Фенглер, Г. Гироу, В. Унгер. Словарь нумизмата. — М.: Радио и связь, 1982.
As a result of the monetary reforms of Peter I in Russia, a new monetary system was introduced and the first chervontsy appeared. In their weight (3.47 g) and [alloy] sample (986), they fully corresponded to the Hungarian ducat (golden Ugric). These coins were also issued in denominations of two chervonets with a mass of 6.94 g. 118 copiesПервая русская золотая монета продана на аукционе за 1 250 000 рублей. of the first chervontsy were issued in 1701. Chervontsy were usually only used in trade with foreigners.
The Chervonets of 1706 (the date is in letters) is the only known copy in gold. From the collection of Biron the coin got to a museum in Vienna. Although gold chervonsty from 1706 exists in private collections in Russia, these were both removed from pendants, thus without flaws. In the Hermitage there is a copy in low-grade silver, which is authentic (tested by Udzenikov).Описан В. В. Уздениковым, «Монеты России 1700—1917», М.: 2004, стр. 109, 161, 171 The known replica of this chervonets are made of high-grade silver and copper. B.S. Yusupov noted in his book, "The Coins of the Russian Empire" (Kazan, 1999, p. 231) that before the silver chervonets of 1706 were known as a shestak. Today, the low-grade silver chervonets of 1706 is an unidentified coin in the Russian numismatics system. When confirming a sample of silver about 210, it should be recognized as the first shestak. There are two types of [shestak] coins: without the medal on the chest and with the medal on the chest. On each form there are several variants of stamps with small differences in details. The cost of a new copy in high-grade silver in 2010 is about 50 thousand rubles.The description of a 1706-year old chervonets (1707 model) with the letters of the engraver, IL-L. In the domestic market, gold chervontsy were traded at a rate of 2 rubles and 20 kopecks to 2 rubles 30 kopecks.
Under Peter I, the chervonets were minted from 1701 to 1716. Then, for gold use in the country, gold coins with a face value of two rubles with a smaller breakdown were minted. They portrayed the patron of Russia, Saint Andrew I. The coining of the chervonets was renewed by Peter II in 1729. During the reign of Elizabeth, chervonetz had in addition to the year, information about the month and, more rarely, the date of coinage were given. On the reverse of Elizaveta Petrovna's chervonets there is a coat of arms, a two-headed eagle, and on the reverse of a double chervonets is the image of St. Andrew.
With Paul, the coinage of gold coins without a denomination with mass and a regular breakdown for chervonets was briefly restored, but they were quickly rejected, adjusting the release of a 5 and 10 ruble coin with a high .986 breakdown, which was subsequently reduced to .916 (88/96). In the future, coins without par value were not issued.
Chervonsty are also called gold coins with a 3-ruble denomination, .917 tests and weighing 3.93 grams., Consent of their release was received by the State Council from Alexander II on February 11, 1869.
+Distribution of coinage by yearsThe EmperorChervonetsDouble ChervonetsPeter I1701–1703, 1706–1707, 1710–1714, 17161701–1702, 1714Peter II1729Anna Iannovna1730, 1738, 1739Elizabeth1742–1744, 1746–1749, 1751–1753, 1755–17591749, 1751, 1755Peter III17621762–1783, 178–1786, 1795–1796Paul I1796, 1797Alexander II1802, 1804–1805
Platinum Chervontsy Platinum coins were minted in Russia in the middle of the 19th century, they were sometimes called white or Ural chervontsy. By 1827, the Russian treasury had accumulated large reserves of platinum, extracted from the Ural mountains. Its quantity was so great that the selling of them would crumble the metals market, so it was decided to put them into circulation. Count Georg Ludwig Cancrin was the originator of platinum coins. The coins were made of untreated platinum (97%), and were minted from 1828 to 1845 with denominations of 3, 6, and 12 rubles.
Such unusual denominations in Russia appeared for the convenience of coinage, their sizes was chosen to be the equivalent of a 25 kopeck, a half ruble coin, and one ruble coin, the amount of metal in the coins with the equivalent amount of metal.
In the first case of this coinage, all coins were minted entirely out of platinum. Before that, platinum was used to produce coins only as a ligature (in metallurgy) to gold or copper (with the counterfeiting of coins).Platinum coins: history, collecting, prices - article from the magazine "Antiques, art and collectibles" № 7-8 (9), 2003.
Dutch ducats of Russian coinage Exact replicas of Dutch ducats (chervontsy) were secretly minted from 1735 to 1868 at the St. Petersburg Mint. In official documents, these coins were known as “famous coins”. Initially, the coins were intended only for foreign payments and salary payments to Russian troops who were conducting military operations in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Poland. Eventually, the coins fell into internal circulation in these places. Local names were used - lobanchik, arapchik, and puchkovyi (from the depiction of the soldier on the coin clutching arrows). These ducats were taken out of circulation in Holland in 1849 (this is the last date on the Russian copies), and in Russia they ceased to be minted in 1868 after the protest of the Dutch government.Спасский, 1962, «Голландские червонцы».
Imperial In 1898–1911 under Nicholas II, gold coins were minted from the alloy of 900 samples with values of 5, 7.5, 10 and 15 rubles. The content of pure gold in the 10 ruble coin was, 1 spool and 78.24 shares (7.74235 g). The total weight of the coin was 8.6 g. The coins in denominations of 15 and 7.5 rubles were called, respectively, imperial and semi-imperial. After the monetary reform of 1922–1924, coins with a value of 10 rubles were called “chervonets”, even though in reality they were not. This name entrenched itself because the chervonets began to be called the base monetary unit first in the RSFSR, and then the USSR, it was equivalent to 10 Soviet rubles and like the tsarist ten-ruble coin, contained 7.74235 g of gold.
Chervonets in Soviet Russia The first years of Soviet power were marked by the disorder of the money-circulation system and a high rate of inflation. Currencies in circulation included tsarist credit tickets, Duma money, "kerenki", securities and sovznaki (), which did not enjoy the confidence of the population. The first denomination in 1922 (the exchange was made against 1:10,000) ordered the monetary system, but could not stop inflation. The 11th Congress of the RCP (B.) in March/April 1922 adopted a policy of creating a stable Soviet currency - the resolution of the Congress stated:
For this moment, it is necessary, without in the least setting the task of an immediate return to the golden appeal, to firmly establish that our economic and financial policies are resolutely oriented towards restoring the gold standard.CPSU in resolutions and decisions of congresses, conferences and plenums of the Central Committee. - 8th ed. - Moscow: Politizdat, 1970. - Volume 2
There was a discussion about how to name the new money. There were proposals to abandon old names and to introduce new, "revolutionary" ones. For example, the workers of the People's Commissariat of Finance proposed calling the unit of hard Soviet currency the "federal". Traditional names were also proposed: "hryvnia", "tselkovy" and "chervonets". Because the hryvnia had circulated in the anti-Soviet Ukrainian People's Republic of 1917 to 1921,First paper hryvnia. (electronic version of the article) and because the "ruble" was associated with the silver ruble, it was decided to call the new money "chervontsy".
In October of the same year, the State Bank of the RSFSR was granted the right to issue banknotes in gold, with a value of , 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 chervonets. This money was completely backed by the state with reserves of precious metals and foreign currency, goods and bills of reliable enterprises. Already before their release, the pre-revolutionary gold ruble became the basis for financial calculations in the RSFSR, and in 1922 it was legalized as a payment instrument.