Restaurant and tavern tokens served as surrogate means of payment in the many drinking establishments of major cities in pre-revolutionary Russia. Coin-like tokens were a feature of everyday life in both metropolitan and provincial restaurants, taverns, cafes, canteens, and buffets. The issuance of tokens was linked to the desire of factory owners, plant owners, and other businesses to increase their profits. Workers and employees received part of their wages in tokens and spent them in shops owned by the firms. Restaurant and tavern tokens appeared in Russia in 1875 and became widespread in major industrial cities. So-called tavern marks performed a purely internal, accounting function. They were intended for internal settlement between the establishment’s staff and the cashier. Tavern marks, having become a fashionable trend and a sign of prosperity and prestige among restaurant owners, became firmly embedded in Russian everyday life and spread everywhere. Such tokens were issued by restaurants, clubs, buffets, taverns, cafes, and other drinking establishments.
Tavern token 1 Kopeck.
