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11/2 Denga Moscow and Golden Horde Imitation
| Issuer | Grand Principality of Moscow |
|---|---|
| Year | 1389-1390 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 11/2 Denga (3⁄2) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Imitation of the reverse type of coins issued under Dmitry Donskoy, featuring a two-headed Janus figure rendered in a crude, schematic style characteristic of early Muscovite coinage. The bifrontal figure is centrally placed within the field, with both heads visible above a shared body, executed in low relief with bold, angular lines. The design reflects a deliberate archaizing approach, copying an established Muscovite motif to lend the piece legitimacy. The flan is irregularly shaped, as is typical of hammered coinage of this period, with the design frequently off-center. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Arabic (imitative/pseudo-Arabic) |
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| Additional information |
Produced at the very moment Dmitry Donskoy's victory at Kulikovo Field in 1380 was still fresh but Mongol political dominance remained real enough to require diplomatic performance, these Moscow dengas deliberately mimicked Golden Horde coinage in both style and script. The imitation was not confusion — it was policy. Muscovite coins carrying Tatar-looking legends circulated across a trade zone where Horde currency still commanded authority.
The "1/2 denga" classification reflects the weight reduction already underway in Moscow's nascent silver coinage system within a year of the type's introduction.