The Horde's Copper Coinage: Mongol Economic Experiments

In this episode of The Golden Horde, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known chapter of Mongol rule: the Horde's experiment with copper coinage—the pul—and what it reveals about steppe economic strategy. From the minting crisis in Sarai under Khan Janibeg to the forced introduction of copper currency in the 14th century, they trace how the Horde tried to stabilize a silver-starved economy, how Russian merchants and peasants reacted, and how the Great Troubles of the 1360s brought the whole system crashing down. Along the way, they encounter the mysterious case of the 'copper riots' in Moscow, the role of Genoese traders from Caffa, and the surprising legacy of these coins in the rise of Moscow's economic power under Dmitry Donskoy. This episode builds on prior discussions of the Horde's silver crisis and tribute system, offering a fresh perspective on the intersection of money, power, and everyday life in Mongol Russia. #GoldenHorde #CopperCoinage #Pul #Janibeg #Sarai #GreatTroubles #DmitryDonskoy #Moscow #Caffa #Genoese #MedievalEconomy #MongolEmpire #Numismatics #14thCentury #Russia #SteppeHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo