- Italian scudo
The scudo (pl. "scudi") was the name for a number of
coin s used inItaly until the 19th century. The name, like that of theFrench écu and the Spanish andPortuguese escudo , was derived from theLatin "scutum" ("shield "). From the 16th centuryKlütz: "Münznamen..."] , the name was used in Italy for largesilver coins. Sizes varied depending on the issuing country.First "scudo d'argento" (silver shield) was issued in 1551 by Charles V (1519-1556) in
Milan .Under Maria Theresa and Joseph II the "scudo d'argento" had a weight of 23.10 g and a finess of 896/1000. [Montenegro: "Manuale..."]
In the
Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia (under the control of the HabsburgAustrian Empire ), theLombardy-Venetia scudo was equivalent to theConventionsthaler and was subdivided into six "lire".Before the
Napoleonic Wars , the lira was subdivided into 20 "soldo", each of 12 "denari". After, the lira was made up of 100 "centesimi".When
Austria-Hungary decimalized in 1857, the scudo was replaced by the "florin" at a rate of 2 florin = 1 scudo. Coins of ½ and 1 soldo were issued, equal to ½ and 1kreuzer , for use in Lombardy and Venetia.In the
Papal States , thePapal States scudo was the currency until1866 . It was divided into 100 "baiocchi" (sing. "baiocco"), each of 5 "quattrini". It was replaced by the lira, equal to theItalian lira .The
Duchy of Modena and Reggio also issued scudi, worth four lire or one third of a "tallero".Notes
References
* Konrad Klütz. "Münznamen und ihre Herkunft". Vienna, moneytrend Verlag, 2004. ISBN 3-9501620-3-8
* Eupremio Montenegro. "Manuale del collezionista di monete italiane". XI ed. 1996, Torino.
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