Pages: 165-173

The article represents the publication and interpretation of a hoard of 25 copper coins of 18th century discovered in 1990 during excavations on the territory of the former Ismail fortress. The find consists of two monetary groups which differ by their chronology and provenance. Early emissions were minted in Russia during the reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730—1740) and Elizaveta Petrovna (1741—1761) and are represented by three nominals: “denga” (6 coins), “kopeika” (2 coins), “dve kopeiki” (1 coin). The later group includes the so-called “Moldavian-Wallachian coins” minted from captured cannons by decision of the Russian war administration headed by P. A. Rumyantsev in Sadogur (a suburb of modern Chernivtsi), during the 1768—1774 war with the Ottoman Empire. These are emissions from 1772 of two nominals: “para/denga“ (6 coins) and “2 para/3 kopeika” (10 coins). Probably, the hoard was deposited during the presence of the Russian army in Ismail — before 1774. It is remarkable that the Turkish cannons taken from here to the mint could come back already as coins. After the conclusion of Küçük Kaynarca peace, Russia left the Danibian Principalities but it was interdicted to bring in the Empire the devaluated during the war “money of extreme circumstances”).

Keywords: Russo-Turkish war of 1768—1774, Danubian Principalities, Moldavia, Wallachia, Budjak, Bessarabia, Ismail fortress, field marshal P. A. Rumyantsev, baron P. N. Gartenberg, Sadogura, “para/denga”, “2 para/3 kopeika”

Information about author:

Nicolai Russev (Kishinev, Moldova). Doctor Habilitat of History. High Anthropological School University. Zimbrului St., 10a, Kishinev, MD-2024, Moldova
E-mail: [email protected]