Standard Russian monetary unit. Term used since the fourteenth century in Novgorod for silver ingots of around 196 g. The rest of Eastern Russia had the light rouble of around 94 g. The rouble was struck as a coin for the first time in 1654, and was subdivided into 64 kopeks. Peter the Great (1672-1725) introduced the decimal system: 100 kopeks to ... Found on https://www.encyclo.co.uk/local/20978