½ Groschen - Charles I

Charles I of Savoy ruled during a period of near-constant pressure from the French crown, and his coinage reflects the duchy's awkward position between French and Italian monetary systems. The half groschen — a petty silver denomination — circulated in a region where multiple currencies competed daily, and Savoyard issues were frequently imitated by smaller lords in the surrounding Alpine territories.

MIR CS#235 places this type within a sequence showing gradual debasement across Charles's reign, a financial response to the costs of maintaining neutrality through diplomatic rather than military means.