1662 Copper riot in Moscow

355 years ago, on August 4, 1662, the so-called Copper Riot took place in Moscow. It was caused by the fact that since 1654 the government began to issue copper money at the price of silver money to finance the war with Poland. This led to their depreciation and the flourishing of counterfeiting. Taxes were collected in silver, and salaries were distributed in copper. As a result, in reality, for 6 rubles in silver, they gave 170 rubles in copper. The sharp rise in prices has hit the urban lower classes hard.

During the suppression of the rebellion, 150 people were executed, and about a thousand more people were killed by archers and soldiers during the dispersal of the rebels who had come to the royal residence in Kolomenskoye. But the copper coin nevertheless began to be gradually withdrawn from circulation.