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Denga - Ivan IV Moscow
| Issuer | Moscow Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1535-1547 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Depiction of a mounted warrior in right profile, seated upon a horse striding to the right; the rider raises a sabre aloft in his right hand in a striking pose, characteristic of the equestrian type introduced during the monetary reform of Elena Glinskaya. The figure is rendered in the bold, schematic style typical of mid-16th century Muscovite wire money, with the horse's musculature indicated by broad, shallow relief. The flan is irregular in outline, as is standard for coins struck from flattened silver wire blanks of this period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | КНSЬ ВЕЛIКI IВАН (Translation: Grand Duke Ivan) |
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| Additional information |
The denga issue under Ivan IV's minority rule is inseparable from the monetary reform of 1535, driven by his mother and regent Elena Glinskaya. The reform was a direct response to rampant coin-clipping and counterfeiting that had destabilized Muscovite commerce — old, lightweight pieces were recalled and a unified weight standard imposed across Moscow, Novgorod, and Tver mints. The Moscow denga at 0.34g represented half the weight of the Novgorod kopek, establishing a ratio that would anchor Russian coinage for generations.
Elena died in 1538, almost certainly poisoned, and Ivan was seven years old.