TATARSTAN, gasoline token

Description

The petrol tokens were made in two different metals, same design, same diameter. The copper-nickel ones were worth twice as much as the bronze ones. People plated the copper ones, so other people took to nicking the silver ones to check their purity. Inintended consequences as usual.

Tatarstan was an important Khanate during Mongol times before it was conquered by Ivan the Terrible. Twice in modern times it almost became independent, but not quite.

A token is used like a coin but is not a coin. Rather, it stands for a coin without the value of the coin. Maybe its copper, but says its value is the same as a silver coin. Usually tokens were made privately, but sometimes governments got involved.

The word “exonumia” is used to describe all kinds of things that are “like” coins but are not coins. I wrote a blog post on that subject. Basic categories: 1. used like a coin but not issued by a national government, 2. looks like a coin but not made for spending, 3. other things that we are interested in.