Restaurant and tavern tokens served as surrogate means of payment in numerous drinking establishments of major cities in pre-revolutionary Russia. Coin-like tokens were an attribute of everyday life in metropolitan and provincial restaurants, taverns, cafes, canteens, and buffet bars. The issuance of tokens was linked to the desire of owners of factories, plants, and commercial enterprises to increase their profits. Workers and employees received part of their wages in tokens and spent them in shops owned by the companies. Restaurant and tavern tokens appeared in Russia in 1875 and became widespread in large industrial cities. So-called tavern checks performed a purely internal, accounting function. They were intended for internal settlements between the establishment’s staff and the cashier. Having turned into a fashion trend and a sign of wealth and prestige among restaurant owners, tavern checks became firmly embedded in Russian everyday life and gained ubiquitous circulation. Such tokens were issued by restaurants, clubs, buffet bars, taverns, cafes, and other drinking establishments.
Tavern token 1 Kopeck (oval).
