Russian Beard Token

RUSSIAN BEARD TOKEN
ЖЕЛЕЗНАЯ БОРОДА

In 1705, Russian Czar Peter the Great instituted a tax on beards as part of his plan to modernize and westernize his backward country.

Peasants and clerics were exempt, but everyone else who wanted to wear a beard had to pay an annual fee and carry a BEARD TOKEN as proof of payment. The first Tokens were mint in round shape showing a nose, mustache and beard on one side and the imperial eagle on the reverse. Later issues were diamond shaped and dropped the images but bore the legend, “The beard is an unnecessary burden”.

Randolph Zander, writing in The Numismatist (“Russian Beard Tokens” in December 1948), noted: “The law provided for check-points at the entrance to towns, where officials would deny passage to any bearded person who could not produce a beard token. In addition, law enforcement agencies were enjoined to arrest and fine bewhiskered individuals on sight if they carried no beard license”.

The tax was collected from 1705 to 1772. It was levied according to rank, topping out at 100 rubles for wealthy merchants.

Beard tax tokens are prized by collectors, partly for their novelty and partly for their sheer ridiculousness. They are scarce and the originals often sell for thousands of dollars when they appear at auction.

The Novodel Beard Token (1705) SP58 PCGS, Kadashevsky (Moscow) mint, Bitk-Ж3898 (R3), Brekke-7. Cyrillic date (?AΨΕ). were issued silver and Copper An extremely rare silver striking of this ever-popular type, issued as a receipt for Peter the Great's 'beard tax.' Following his travels to Europe, where he encountered far fewer men wearing facial hair, he wished for Russia to become more like Europe and have men shave their beards. As this caused great consternation, a compromise was achieved by allowing men to keep their facial hair through the payment of an annual tax. Proof of payment was conveyed through carrying one of these tokens--generally issued in copper--as a form of receipt. Highly interesting and desirable, this replica by Safed Mint of Israel, especially re-designed for Pereira Shavery is in uncirculated condition. Lightly toned and lustrous, and extremely attractive.