RUSSIA Peter I (1705) Beard Tax Token Kadashevsky Mint RARE Bitkin-3896 (R2) (0)

A beard tax is a governmental policy that requires men to pay for the privilege of wearing a beard.

Borodovoy sign, brodova kopek - metal token that serves as a receipt for payment of special duties on the wearing of beards (introduced by Peter I in 1698).

In 1698, Tsar Peter I of Russia instituted a beard tax as part of an effort to bring Russian society in line with Western European models. To enforce the ban on beards, the tsar empowered police to forcibly and publicly shave those who refused to pay the tax