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Denga - Vasily I Dmitriyevich Cyrillic legend / Shahada
| Issuer | Moscow, Grand principality of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1403-1412 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Denga (0.005) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Imitation of the Shahada inscription as found on Jochid (Golden Horde) dang reverses, rendered in a stylized pseudo-Arabic or debased Arabic script arranged across the field. A small longevity knot (endless knot ornament) appears at the bottom of the design. The entire composition is enclosed within a border of pellets. The imitative nature of the Arabic legend reflects the commercial and political relationship between Muscovite rulers and the Golden Horde during this period. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Vasily I inherited Moscow's practice of imitating Tatar coinage directly from his father Dmitry Donskoy, a political calculation as much as an economic one — Mongol overlordship still demanded nominal deference even after Kulikovo. The bilingual format, pairing a Cyrillic inscription with the Islamic shahada, was not syncretism but submission theatre, signaling continued tributary legitimacy to the Golden Horde while the Muscovite state quietly consolidated power beneath it.
By the time this issue was struck, the Horde was fracturing under Tamerlane's campaigns, and Vasily was already testing how far he could push autonomous governance. The Arabic formula remained on the coinage long after it carried any real political obligation.