Altyn (Russianалты́н, also алты́нникaltýnnik) is a historical Russian currency (symbol: ). The name in Tatar is altın (алтын) meaning "gold"[1] and altı (алты) meaning "six", since it was worth 6 dengas, equivalent to three kopeck silver, then copper, a small value coin,[2][3] or 180–206 copper puls.[4]
From the 15th century, altyn had been in use in several Russian principalities as a Eurasian currency between Russian and Asian traders.[5] They were minted from 1654 under Alexis I, under Peter I as silver coins from 1704 to 1718. Later they were revived under Nicholas I as copper coins with a value of three kopecks from 1839. While the name altyn eventually got lost, three-kopeck-coins circulated in Russia until 1991.[5]
In the 2010s, the Eurasian Economic Commission drafted first proposals to revive the altyn once again by 2025 as a common currency of the Eurasian Economic Union, although international sanctions against Russia reportedly encouraged the bloc to expedite the process by 3-5 years.[5] However, as of 2023 the currency had still not been re-introduced.
References
^Этимологический словарь русского языка. — М.: Прогресс. М. Р. Фасмер. 1964—1973.
^Спасский, И. Г. Алтын в русской денежной системе. / В кн.: Краткие сообщения Института истории материальной культуры АН СССР, вып. 66. — 1956.
^Спасский, И. Г. Русская монетная система. — Л.: Аврора, 1970. — с. 105.
