Russian Beard Tokens

beardtoken

To Beard or not to Beard - that is the question.  Did you know in 1698, Peter the Great proclaimed that Russians should dress more like Western Europeans, and made it unlawful to maintain a beard or other facial hair?  To keep your facial hair you would have needed to pay the "Beard Tax".  Those who paid the tax would receive a Beard token to be kept as proof that the tax had been paid.  These tokens are still out there and are worth a pretty penny so keep an eye out!  Follow the link below to learn more.