Under Peter the Great bearded men carried a token stamped “Money received”, proof of paying the beard tax. Top merchants paid 100 rubles a year; peasants paid a kopeck each time they entered a town.

1698 · 1705 · apart: 7 years

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The event

• Peter the Great's beard tax1698–1772 · Moscow. Back from Europe, Peter I taxed beards. Under a 1705 decree rich merchants paid 100 roubles a year, townsmen 60 or 30, and peasants a kopek every time they entered a town. Payers carried a token showing a beard and the words 'money taken'.

17th century · 18th century

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