For centuries the circulation of coins represented an important element of trade. The intention to examine the legal framework of circulation and exchange of foreign currencies in the Russian Empire comes to complete our researches dedicated to foreign trade of European states in the second half of the 18th century – first half of the 19th century. Article also aims to supplement numismatic knowledge regarding the frequency of discoveries of foreign currency in the Russian Empire. Analysis of documents published in the Russian collection of laws allows us to conclude that Russian imperial bodies paid a noticeable attention to foreign currency circulation. This was manifested by strictly regulating the use of foreign currencies in domestic market, import and export of foreign currencies, their melting and minting of metal obtained into Russian roubles, verification of the quality of foreign currencies, fixation of exchange rates. Regarding the territory between Prut and Dniester, improperly called Bessarabia, based on unpublished archival data, we ascertain that the province kept until 1828 its former monetary system, but the Russian and local government endeavour to limit and exclude from circulation Turkish coins. Only the protest of local entrepreneurs, who possessed important sums of Turkish coins and who were terrified of the losses they could suffer, made the process of imposing of Russian assignation rouble to occur gradually.