Glossary of Russian currency

Decimal

The decimal currency in Russia was introduced by Peter the Great during his monetary reform

Names of many of the coins are traced from older times.

• Kopeck
• Denga, polkopeiki = 1/2 kopeck
• Polushka = 1/2 denga
• Altyn = 3 kopeck
• Grivennik = 10 kopeck
• Pyatialtynny = 15 kopeck coin literally "5 altyn coin"
• Dvugrivenny = 20 kopeck, literally "two-grivennik coin"
• Half-poltina (polupoltina, polupoltinnik = 1/2 poltina = 25 kopeck
• Poltinnik, Poltina = 1/2 ruble or 50 kopeck
• Ruble = 100 kopeck
• Chervonets = 10 rubles

Old currency

• Grivna, cf. Polish grzywna
• Imperial = 10 rubles
• Half-imperial (poluimperial) = 5 rubles
• Efimok, Russian term for West European silver coins; derived from "Joachimsthaler": the name Efim is Russian for "Joachim".

Non-Russian

• Grosh = Groschen, see ru:Грош. Various Groschen, e.g., Polish grosz. In 18th century "grosh" ha come to mean 2-kopeck coin. Hence the sayings expressing low value of something: "грош им цена" (literally "worth a grosh", i.e., "not worth a dime"), "пропадешь ни за грош" (you will die not even for a grosh), etc.

See also

• Slang terms for money#Russia