A Hoard of the 19th Century Silver Coins Found in Moscow

Archeologists have found a buried treasure with 97 silver and copper Russian coins made in the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, during their excavation on the site of the house demolished in the 1960th on Dolgorukovskaya Street, in the center of Moscow. Information about it was posted at the official site of the Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin. The treasure was found in broken bricks.

According to researchers, it was hidden in a textile bag in the wall of an apartment on the second or the third floor of the house. The newest coin was struck in 1915. In total, 36 copper and 59 silver coins in the amount of about 35 rubles have been found.

According to the Head of Department of Cultural Heritage Aleksey Yemelyanov, this amount was quite impressive for its time. It equals a monthly wage of a qualified Moscow employee. For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, bread cost 4-7 kopeks (0.04-0.07 rubles), and high boots cost 5 rubles. "This find is the evidence of financial crisis in Russia during World War I.

The fact is, by the end of 1915, paper money began to fall in value, and that’s why people tried to hide metal coins", Aleksey Yemelyanov said. Coins are oxidized badly and will be restored. After all necessary manipulations, they will be gifted to the Museum of Moscow.