Предпосылки появления бумажных денежных знаков в России

Russian State assignats differ from their European and American analogues as regards both their role in money circulation and their financial guarantees. This can be explained by the history of the Russian financial system rather than by decisions taken by the Emperor and the administration.

The first half of the 18th century is the period of important reforms in the governmental system, taxation policy and money circulation. It was also the time when Russia got well acquainted with the Western experience of the State management. The article aims to single out the innovations which led to the introduction of paper currency in 1769. The most important of them was the mass minting of heavy copper coins. Beginning with Peter’s reign no discussion of changes in current copper coins went without proposals to introduce paper currency or put promissory notes into circulation. The European experience, familiar to the Russian government, was regarded mostly as negative. In the 18th and even in the first half of the 19th century the development of credit and the foundation of banks in Russia were still considered to be the task of the State. According to the law passed in 1729, State institutions that could use fiscal money took on a number of banking functions. Particularly typical for such activities were financial operations of the so-called salt offices. The promissory notes and bills of salt offices considered in this article are the obvious antecedents of paper banknotes. Due to these documents the State could get relatively cheap credits; besides, they facilitated the transfer of money inside the country. The experience gained in the production of stamped paper helped to organize the production of paper money and to take measures against counterfeiting.